Batwoman: Victorious
by emeralddusk
Summary: Tori Vega changed the day her parents died. Now, only vengeance exists. The war has finally come to its end.
1. Chill of the Night

Batwoman: Victorious

Chapter One; Chill of the Night

_I am vengeance. I am the night. I am Batwoman! Through the tragedies of evil, the thirst for justice, I am who I am. Who am I, so many have asked? Am I a monster? A menace? A hero? A myth? People's words don't make me...They never have. Destiny bleeds through my body. I still see that night..._

_ Rain fell hard from the frozen, dark sky. Gotham, New York, the closest thing to hell that exists on earth. Once, we called it home. My parents, Thomas and Martha Vega were walking Trina and I home from the movies one night...It was called the Legend of Zorro; I was so amazed by Zorro. He was so bold, so powerful, so majestic. I wanted to be just like him one day. As the four of us walked through town, Dad took us through a shortcut in an alley. We were all cold and chilled, and in a big hurry to get home..._

Feeling the icy rain pour down on their heads and backs, the Vega family ran through a dark, dirty alley. Thomas held a newspaper over the girls, and Martha covered herself and Tom with her coat. The night's sky was as black as coal, and few stars decorated it. At night, Gotham was a place of shadows; all the lights seemed to die out after the sun went down. However, no one ever noticed before.

"That movie was cool," Katrina declared, her young voice energetic and happy. At this age, the girl was always upbeat, caring, and loving to her family.

"I love Zorro," little Tori added, imagining the masked hero swinging into a room on a chandelier.

"Honey," Martha whispered, her mind taken off her beloved daughters. "There's somebody down there."

"It's probably just someone living near here," the man replied, trying to make himself believe everything was okay. Even though he didn't know it, Thomas had everything to lose; his wealth, his business, the defense of his reputation, and tonight, his life.

"Gimme the watch, buddy," demanded the man at the end of the alley. Clad in a gray driver's cap and a brown trench coat, the man was somewhat gruff and obviously hostile.

"Okay," Thomas replied, trying to keep the man calm with his tone and hand gestures. "Okay. Just take it."

"I'm scared," Tori whispered, hiding behind her mother's leg. Katrina stood still, swallowing hard and trying not to cry.

"And the lady's purse," the thug added, his hand outstretched and starting to shake. "Come on!" The man pulled out a small, shaved silver pistol out of his pant pocket.

"Alright," Martha agreed, handing the criminal her purse. "Just let us go."

After a second of agonizing stillness and silence, Thomas stood forward. "Come on, you have our money, now get lost." Standing still, feeling his heart threaten to pound out of his chest, and his sweat thickening, the man lifted his gun. "It's not the money," he said before pulling the trigger.

One second; that was all it took. That one blast of air from a barrel. One small piece of led shot by a desperate man; a life was shattered. Thomas fell to the ground, his chest drenched in dark blood. "Oh my gosh, Tom!" Martha screamed, her heart exploding when the gun cracked. Another bullet fired.

"Mommy!" Tori screamed, watching her mother fall onto the cold, wet surface of the alley floor. Katrina looked up at the man with devastated eyes.

As if scared, the man looked back at the girl, then clenched his money and ran away into the night. Thunder cracked, and lightning flashed in the infinite skies. Rain kept falling all night, never relenting.

Katrina and Victoria sat on a wooden bench in the police office. Dropping bead after bead on her mother's pearl necklace, Trina tried to hold back tears. Tori sniffled, letting the tears stream down her face. Everything seemed to blur over in a veil of horrifying darkness. Footsteps echoed in Tori's eardrums. Thunder roared outside, but the walls of the office kept the girls safe.

"Excuse me," said a tall male police officer. His hair was dark, and his skin smelled of aftershave. "I know you two have been through a lot...But we really need you to help us here..." Katrina sniffled back, looking at the floor. "Did you get a good look at him?...The man who shot your parents?" Knowing how horrible it must be for the two, the officer felt himself become weak. But if there was one thing he'd learned in all his years on the force, it was that second guesses should never occur.

Too devastated and shocked to speak, the girls kept trying to control themselves. It was like a nightmare. Every element of security had been shattered; their lives could never be the same again.

"Please," the man politely persisted. "We need your help if we ever want to find the man who did this."

_Nothing ever happened. That night, our butler, Alfred took Trina and I home, told us he was sorry, and that he knew he could never take their place, but he would never leave our side, then tried to put us to bed. About a year passed, and nothing happened. Alfred finally decided to let us leave Gotham City, and we went to Los Angeles, California. Trina took to it instantly, and was never the same; she took in the pride, pompous nature of the city; stopped acting like herself. She went from sunny and happy to shallow and worried about her future. She wanted fame. She wanted love from thousands. Nothing short of stardom made her happy anymore. Things changed all over for her; she became shallow, short-tempered, and lost all tactfulness. As for me, I stayed mad. That man, that monster stole everything from me. Ruined everything. And what did he get? Nothing! They let him go. There was no justice for Mom or Dad. No justice for anyone. When I turned thirteen, I told Alfred I was leaving. Being the father in my life, he was extremely concerned, but learned soon enough he couldn't stop me._

_ When I came back, I was sixteen, and a changed woman. I knew, now more than ever, that there was no justice. Evil ran its tentacles through the police, through almost everything. The law would never be followed; as long as there were rules, there would be those who wished to break them. If you wanted justice, you had to bring it; become it; be the enforcer of law and order; crime and punishment. I knew it was my destiny; I was to avenge the murder of my parents. I had to make up for the weak child who let her parents die; to become a new person. _

_ I sat alone in my room, reading over some of my books; sometimes reading about other people's problems makes me forget my own. A gentle fire burning in my fire place kept me dramatically warm (and what rich kid doesn't have a fire place in her bedroom, right?) as I read. Outside, the moon was bright and full, though several black clouds tried to cover it. I'd missed a lot in those years; one thing was that Trina had started school at Hollywood Arts, a high school for the performing arts (just what she needs right now). I'd still be going to Richmond High, which didn't bother me. But one day, Trina got sick from some herbal drink she took to help her singing, and I was asked to be a last-minute stand-in for her. I guess I did pretty well, and they asked me to come to Hollywood Arts. At first, Katrina was jealous, but she agreed it was where I belonged. Alfred told me how proud he was, and desperately hoped I'd be one of those celebrities who makes comments about following the law, and staying off the streets between songs; he begged for that every night, and cried about it in his sleep. That poor, dear old man. Unfortunately, the crying child within me could never accept that kind of life. I had to be more. I had to..._

"Hi, Tori," Cat, a red-haired girl with a sweet, gentle voice and an innocent, child-like attitude and lifestyle to match greeted. Some people made fun of her for being a "goody-goody", but that was Catarina Valentine. She'd never hurt anyone or do anything bad. She didn't even want to, and that made her amazing.

"Hey, Cat," the brunette girl replied, putting a smile on her face. "How you doing?"

"Super-duper," Cat answered with a wide smile. "You?"

"Pretty good," Tori said, putting some books in her locker. "Ready for some improv acting?"

"Yep," Catarina answered. "Mr. Sikowitz's is my favorite class."

_It's amazing; no matter how horrible our lives are, our true selves always manage to shine out; I'm happy and nice by nature. What's inside me; the rage and pain doesn't have to reveal itself._

Soon enough, night fell over the city, and the scum of the earth crawled out like insects from a rotting carcass. Come eleven o'clock, two gangs of thugs were holding up a distribution center near the lake. "Alright," one of them called; a young Caucasian boy with a long but fancy hairdo. "Bring that crate over here."

A dark figure loomed above the group, feeding on hte light of the moon. _Alright, _she told herself. _Here it goes._ Pulling a black mask over her face, the girl lept onto the ground, in front of the gangsters. "Freeze!" she commanded, her voice loud and strong. The black ski mask, sweats, and sweater, however, failed to intimidate the criminals.

"Ha!" one of the goons replied, his voice cold. "Who's this bitch?"

"Get her!" the leader ordered, pulling out a jagged, rusty crowbar. The young man swung at Tori, only to see her duck, then thrust her fist upward into his chin, knocking him back. Two more ran up to the masked figure; one blond girl and one bald boy. "I'm gonna shove that ski mask down your throat!" the girl screamed.

They were all the same; just like him... Seeing red, Tori thrust her arm into the girl's stomach, causing her to spit out blood as she fell on her back. Spinning in a circle, the brunette rammed her leg into the boy's cheek, cracking one of his teeth. Suddenly, the girl felt a crushing pain on her upper spine; she'd been hit by the broad side of a baseball bat. With a loud grunt, Tori fell to the ground, and quickly looked up at her attacker; a young man with green hair spiked into a mow hawk. "Lights out, babe," the boy said in a cocky, mocking tone. The murderer's face appeared on the young man's body, thrusting Victoria into a fit of rage. Throwing her legs into the air, she smashed the green-haired youth's chin, knocking him onto the ground.

Furiously thrusting her weight upward, Tori threw herself onto her feet, then straightened out her back, ready to resume fighting. Suddenly, red and blue police lights started flashing.

Slowly, delicately, the flames licked the air inside the fireplace. Tori sat in a warm, red chair, slouched back and supporting her chin with her left arm. "I couldn't stop them, Alfred," she said, her voice saddened. "I'm not scaring them. If the police hadn't come, I don't know what would've happened."

"Maybe the authorities are reliable after all," Alfred replied, his tone light and coated with levity.

"Tell that to my parents," the teenager gravely retorted, looking down at the floor. Silence froze over the room. "...I saw his face in every thug there," Tori finally said, feeling tears bubble up in her eyes. "It felt like my blood was on fire..."

"...I'm not your father," Alfred finally said, his tone growing serious. "But I served him for many years...And I know he would never want this life for you...He never wanted to be driven by anger and hatred." The girl refused to look at her butler. "...It's not too late to let it all go." The thin, elderly man put his warm hand on Tori's shoulder, providing the comfort her mother used to.

"Thanks, Alfred," the teenager said, her heart warming up in a pleasant way. With a smile, Alfred exited the room, letting his mistress clear her head. Minutes passed, bleeding into hours. Weary, Tori heard her beloved father-figure awake her, then walk her into her room. "Come now, Miss Tori," he said, his voice warm and calm. "Time for bed."

Beck and Jade kissed against their locker, their lips gently gliding across each other. Beck gently slid his firm hand through his girlfriend's long, dark hair.

"Hey, break it up before they turn the hose on," Robbie jokingly said.

The couple pulled apart. "What do you want?" Jade asked, still dreary.

"**We wanna know when you two 'er gonna get a real hobby**," Rex answered, his voice full of audacity and confidence as usual. "No!" Robbie quickly responded, growing nervous. "Do...Do you two have the math assignment?"

"Yeah, it's one through thirty, evens," Beck answered, full of his normal composure.

"Thank you," Robbie said, nervously nodding before running off.

"Freak," Jade snarled under her breath before resuming kissing her lover.

Andre' passed by, looking at the two only for a brief second, then walked over to Tori's locker. "Hey, Tori," he said.

"Oh, hey, Andre'," the brunette greeted, looking out of her locker. "What's up?"

"I called you last night," the African-American teen replied, his voice gentle as always. "What happened?"

"Oh, sorry," the brunette responded. "I was out pretty late last night. Um, what'd you wanna talk about?"

"Just wanted to know if you read the chapter in our history book," Andre' said, looking over some of his notes.

"Oh yeah," Tori replied. "The Opium Wars, and their effect on China's trade, right?"

"I guess," the teen jokingly responded. "That's how it seemed before I fell asleep." The two chuckled a little. Suddenly, the bell rang, and the two parted.

"Um, Tori?" a young man nervously greeted.

"Hi, uh..." turning around, Tori saw Vince Blake, the boy she'd had a crush on since she came to Hollywood Arts (and vice versa). "Hey, Vince," she said, keeping composed.

"Sup, Tori?" Vince replied, smiling. Since they both had Sikowitz this period, the two started walking as they talked. "Hey, I'm gonna be starting in tonight's game."

"Ah, that's great!" Tori excitedly responded.

"Yeah, and if you wanted to come, um..." Vince tried not to laugh. "That'd be great."

"Sounds great." Tori replied. "Thanks for inviting me."

"Any time," the boy warmly said, deeply relieved that the girl actually took an interest in his proposal. "Thanks."

In Mr. Sikowitz's solo-acting class, Cat and Tori sat next to one another. "Having a good morning?" the redhead asked, sweet and charmingly.

"_I_ think so," Tori humbly but happily answered. The brunette looked over at Vince, who looked back at her.

"Alright, class," Mr. Sikowitz called out. "Let's begin with the introduction of..."

"Guess what, Alfred," Tori called, throwing her book bag on the couch as she happily walked into the living room with Trina behind her. "I have been invited to a basketball game tonight."

"I didn't know you liked basketball," Alfred replied, deeply pleased by his loved one's happier mood.

"She doesn't," Katrina replied in a mocking but loving voice. "But she likes Vince." Trina, much like she did when she and Tori were kids, made a mocking kissy face, shaking her head back and forth.

"Stop it," Victoria giggled, giving her sister a loving shove. "Come on, help me get ready."

"Good to see you in better spirits, Miss Tori," Alfred lovingly said. Tori nodded with a smile on her face, then ran up the stairs behind Trina.

That night, Tori sat on the bleachers, clad in a light jacket as she watched Vince repeatedly scored for his team. Unlike most schools, Arts had an outdoor basketball court, which allowed the stars shine down on the players. Even though he was humble, Vince was an amazing athlete, and everyone knew it. As Chase passed the ball to Tori's crush, a young man clad in a black leather jacket walked in the way, and caught the basketball.

"What the?" Vince demanded, growing furious.

"You gotta problem?" asked the boy, sounding irritated. "I think you do." The young man pulled a knife out of his pant pocket, and brandished it in front of Vince. Lightning flashed in the sky above the scene. As the rain began to pour down, Tori stood up, her breath almost constant but kept silent.

"Whatter you scared?" the thug demanded. "You scared?" Tori clenched her fists until it chafed her palms. "You scared, kid?"

"I'm not!" Victoria called, thrusting her fist into the man's face, knocking him back into the fence.

"Thanks," Vince said as he sprinted towards the man with the knife. With the same speed and determination he showed during the game, the teenager rammed into the the knife-toter.

"Duck!" Tori yelled, smashing her leg into the punk's cheek in a spin-kick style. Vince quickly droped to the ground before his friend's foot hit him. The thug collapsed on the ground.

The crowds cheered, though Tori felt her spirit sink. "I can't do it, Alfred," she exclaimed, walking over to the fireplace. "I can't keep doing this stuff when I know there's someone who needs me." Her emotions began to spike as Tori spoke.

"Maybe there are more important things than your vigilante career," Alfred replied, trying to comfort his loved one.

"I don't know," Tori replied, letting her tears stream down her cheeks as she leaned against the wall. "What about Mom and Dad, though?"

Before Alfred could respond, there was a loud knock on the door. "Can you get that, please?" Tori begged, not looking away from the wall.

The elderly man nodded, then answered the door to see Vince standing by on the porch. "Hi," he greeted, sounding kind of nervous. "Are you Tori's..."

"Butler," Alfred filled in the blank. "May I help you, sir?"

Tori walked down the stairs, and looked at Vince. "Vince," she said, sounding shocked. "What's going on?"

"Um, I know I kind of...asked you out to the basketball game," the boy shakily replied, rubbing his hot neck. "But, um...some things came up, and... I don't think we can...be, you know?" A throbbing lump welled up in the boy's throat.

"Oh, yeah, I understand," Tori answered, holding back tears. "See you around."

"Actually, this was my last day," Vince sorrowfully added. "I'm really sorry." The boy ran away. Shocked, Alfred looked at Vince as he faded into the night.

"Oh, Miss Tori, I am so very sorry," the elderly man said, his tone filled with sorrow. However, when Alfred turned around, his beloved daughter-figure had run upstairs.

After violently slamming her door, Tori threw herself into her chair, and tightly clenched her face. From another wing of Vega Mansion, Katrina could see her little sister crying. What could she do, though?

Suddenly, a loud screeching sound tore through the silence of Tori's tears, snapping her out of her clouded daze. Looking up, the girl saw a pitch black bat flying around her roof. Frozen, Victoria gazed at the creature, seeing more than what was there; seeing what it represented, what it truly was: _A symbol of fear; a symbol of what awaits in the darkness. However, a bat doesn't hurt, or do anything to harm. They only take what they need, and leave without so much as a word. It's creatures like screach owls that harm others. Maybe the bat is what I'm supposed to be; the one who stands in the darkness, and serves as a force..._

Strike after strike of the hammer; sparks flaring through the night. Tori smashed the metal until it was in the shape of a bat; its wings blade-like shining with a terrifying brilliance. With a flash of light, a claw-shaped piece of black iron shot into the air with a long, black piece of rope trailing behind it. A flawless piece of black metal lined with scarlet struck the wall with vicious accuracy. Pitch black smoke streamed into the air, letting the image of a bat bleed into the fabric of the gray leotard.

Tori held her hand out, awaiting the cowl. Nervously, reluctantly, Alfred handed his beloved Victoria, who slowly grabbed it. Looking at the black mask with endless intensity, Tori clenched her hands around it, and slowly dawned her destiny. First her parents, then Vince; there was no permanents in her life. Being with The League of Shadows should have taught her that. Now, all that remained was vengeance; All that remained was...The Bat.

"My word," Alfred exclaimed, terrified. Clad in a shrowd of darkness, Tori tightened her artificial white eyes, and walked out into the night as Batwoman.


	2. Preview

**Just to encourage reviews...**

Batwoman: Victorious

Season One Teaser

"I am vengeance...I am the night...I am Batwoman!" The gun fired, and the Vega parents collapsed on the alley floor. Thousands of bats flew out of an underground cave; each one screeched and filled the sky with darkness.

A bat-shaped piece of metal shattered the lights, blinding the criminals counting their stolen money. "What happened?" one of the thugs nervously asked, feeling his pulse spike. "Aaah!"

"Make a move, dummy," said a gruff-voiced puppet, angrily commanding at his curly-haired partner.

White eyes tightened around the evil doers. _Is she a monster? Is she a hero? Who is she? What is she?_ A bald-headed woman dangled upside down from a street light with her bag of money strapped to her leg.

Jumping down into the streaming waters of the sewer, a figure cloaked in black knelt to the ground, then lep towards the alligator-like creature charging at her.

"Bats...everywhere," a terrified man shrieked.

A sick, psychotic laugh echoed throughout the room. Batwoman stood in front of a wall, and dropped her head. _Ha! HA! hA!_

_**Batwoman: Victorious**_


	3. Dummy

Batwoman: Victorious

Chapter Two: Dummy

"Did you see that thing last night?" a dark-haired boy with a rough hair cut asked one of his friends. "It was like...a giant bat."

Batwoman stood atop a gargoyle overlooking the city of Los Angeles. A cold, unfeeling wind blew her black cape until it flapped by her side. Above her, the sky was pitch black and laced with millions of stars. Police sirens screeched in the distance, but Tori remained staunch.

A car swerved into an alley, and two men clad in black ski masks ran out holding two bags of stolen cash. As far as they knew, they were in the clear.

"Care to make a deposite?" asked a fearsome, gruff voice. The thieves looked behind them to see a black figure with tall bat ears knelt down on a dumpster in front of them.

"Ha!" one of the men laughed. "Who's this clown?"

"Target practice," answered the other robber with cruel confidence to his voice, pulling out a silver pistol and aiming it at Batwoman. Pulling out his own gun, the other man swallowed hard, and fired at the girl. Bullets flashed and bounced off Tori's cape, leaving no sign of injury.

Finally, the thieves halted, dropping their jaws in fear and disbelief. Bringing a satisfied smile onto her face, Batwoman lunged forward, tackling the first to shoot. As he hit the ground, the man passed out due to the hard impact. Jumping up, Tori swung her fist into the face of the other thief, knocking him onto his back. Hearing the howl of police cars' sirens behind her, Tori shot a thin black rope into the air, heard it click once it grappled onto a roof top, then let herself fly upward. The police arrived to see two unconscious goons with four bags of stolen money from the bank.

"Hey, look at that!" one of the officers yelled, pointing at a black figure in the air that resembled a bat flying off in the night's sky.

Tori walked down the hallway of Hollywood Arts, her book bag slung over her shoulder as she proceeded towards her locker.

"Hey, Tori," Cat excitedly greeted her friend. "Did you hear about that big bat last night?"

"Oh, yeah," the brunette answered, stopping her walk for a second. "They were talking about it on The Daily Show. What do you think it is?"

"I think it's a really big bat that escaped from the zoo," Cat answered, her innocence and naiveness charming as ever. "Oh! Or maybe it's a..."

"Hey!" Jade called to Tori, interrupting the two. "What's up with your friend, Robbie?"

"Why? What's going on?" Tori replied, sounding irritated.

"See for yourself," the dark-haired girl answered, gesturing towards the boy.

"Yeah, I know," Robbie murmured, looking at Rex with his head down. "No, that's not it. Yeah, I don't know if..."

"Um, Robbie?" Tori greeted the boy, Cat standing behind her. "...Is everything okay?" The curly-haired didn't respond, and resumed mumbling to him dummy.

"Robbie?" Cat called, her voice sounding worried and pleading.

"Oh!" Robbie snapped out of his daze. "Oh, sorry...Um, what's up?"

"Are you okay?" Cat asked. "You've been talking to yourself all day."

"Oh..." Robbie replied, sounding like he'd been missing something obvious. "Yeah, I'm fine. Just...got a lot on my mind."

"Do you want to talk about it?" Tori offered, sounding sympathetic.

"Um, no, thanks," Robbie answered, standing up with Rex in hand. "I've gotta get to class. Thank you, though." Turning away, the teenager proceeded to his next class. "I know, I know."

"Something's really off with him," Tori said, looking at the saddened boy walk off.

"I think it's that dummy," Cat suggested, crossing her arms over her chest.

"**What's your problem, anyway?**" Rex asked Robbie, looking up at him with his thin wooden neck. "What do you mean?" Robbie replied. "**You're such a little wimp lately. You've gotta stop that.**" "Rex, this isn't like you," Robbie pleaded. "You've been really nasty to me lately...Look, I wanna stay friends with you. We're like brothers, but..." "**Then whatter you complaining about?**" the dummy retorted. "**I want you to be happy. I want what's best for you...That's why I don't coddle you. I tell you what you need to hear, not just what you want.**" "Okay," Robbie accepted, feeling like a stupid spoiled brat. "Sorry." It would take time, but Rex would forgive him; he always did.

Robbie made Rex when he was in kindergarten. Having few friends, if any, the boy started talking for the wooden boy at recesses and lunch. As time progressed, Rex formed his own rude, challenging attitude towards his designer. Then, Robbie disappeared, and Rex and Robbie came into existence. The quiet, geeky boy died, leaving "a freak and his dummy". Nobody liked Rex. Ask anyone at Hollywood Arts. However, Robbie needed him. Like a co-dependent couple, the two were always together, for better or worse.

After school, Tori lay on the couch, watching Drake and Josh. Something few knew about that show was that it was based off the lives of two actual step brothers and their sister. Soon, Trina walked in, throwing her book bag on the floor. "Sup, Tori?" she greeted her sister, taking off her sunglasses.

"Hey," Tori replied, looking away from the television for a second. "Did you see Robbie today?"

"No," Katrina answered, dropping down on the couch. "Hey, Alfred!"

"Good afternoon, Miss Trina," Alfred called back from the kitchen.

"He just seemed really off today," Victoria continued. "Like...scary off. He's getting obsessed with that stupid puppet."

"He's _been_ obsessed," the older girl coldly replied. "What else is new?"

"I don't know," Tori answered. "But he was just sitting alone all morning, talking to himself."

"Creepy," Katrina said, growing concerned. "Maybe he needs help. Hey, you were out pretty late last night. What's going on?"

"...I had to talk to Cat about an assignment, and her phone wasn't working," Tori lied effortlessly.

"Well, I know I'm just your sister...but I don't want you going out that late," Katrina replied, obviously uneasy. "Not after...you know."

"Sure thing, sis," Tori said. This would be easy to overcome, Tori knew.

Meanwhile, Robbie sat on his bed, Rex in hand. "Rough day, today," Robbie whispered, keeping his head down. "**You'll get over it**," Rex coldly replied. "**You always do.**" Robbie nodded, too upset to respond. Rex was right, and the boy knew it. Rex was the only one who cared most of the time. "**You feel like goin' out tonight?**" "I guess," Robbie answered. "Where to?" "**You'll see**," Rex answered, an agenda in mind. Robbie stood up, and walked out of his bedroom.

Back at the Vegas' home, Katrina lay on her bed, staring at the ceiling. "Alfred," she said, her voice calm and sweet. "Can you tell me a story...one about our parents?"

Knowing Tori was sneaking out, Alfred thought fast; something he knew he'd have to do a lot. "Alright, Miss Katrina," the elderly man agreed, taking a seat on Trina's bedside trunk. "Your father was a wonderful doctor...Because of his pressing line of work, he left Mister Luscious Fox in charge of much of Vega Tech's business. Now, one day, he had a client come in...I believe with a case of the swine flu. The man sat down, and started a conversation with your father..."

Tori landed on a rooftop, letting her black cape shroud over her body as she scanned the street. Several children gazed up while on their way home from a movie that ran a little too late. "Whoa," a blond-haired boy exclaimed, blown away by the figure above him. With a brief smile, Tori gave a slight wave, then lept onto another building.

Robbie walked up the steps of the building, holding Rex like an infant in his trembling arms. "Rex, are you sure about this?" he asked, nervous. "**It'll be fine**," Rex confidently replied. "**We just need to pick up some things for a little party I'm having later on.**" Robbie walked up to the door, and pulled his dummy's hand outward. Due to one of Jade's vicious assaults, Rex was forced to receive a metal pointer finger, which the teenager was able to use to pick the lock. "**Cover your face**," Rex grumbled, looking up at the security cameras. "Right," Robbie quickly replied, putting his hand over his profile as he proceeded over to the vault. "Isn't this wrong?" the boy asked. "**Nah, it'll come back to 'em**," Rex assured his pal. "**It's not like people haven't stolen from you. Remember those girls at that karaoke joint?**" Feeling himself agreeing, Robbie walked behind the desk, and began typing on the keyboard. Finally, he got into the main database, and found the most recent combination of the vault. Upon leaving with two hundred dollars casually hidden in his pocket, Robbie looked around, then ran off.

Noticing from atop a nearby building, Batwoman dove downward, holding her arms out under her cape to form a bat's silhouette.

"**Behind you, dummy**," Rex informed his friend, noticing a shadow appear. Robbie turned around, and dove sideways into an alley, causing Tori to land on her knees on the sidewalk. "Oh my gosh," Robbie exclaimed, feeling his pulse spiking. "It's that bat!" Batwoman followed the duo with blazing intensity. Her eyes seemed to flash over with red as the vision of her parent's killer taking money shot into her mind.

"Halt!" Tori demanded, her voice in a gruff, smokey guise.

"Oh, man!" Robbie hollered as his heart started to hurt. "**Hop the fence!**" Rex instructed, his tone growing more concerned. Robbie lept onto a barbed wire fence, and quickly climbed over it. Tori, however, merely pulled out a bat-shaped blade and sliced through the silver guard, continuing her chase.

The girl pulled a black Batarang out of her utility belt, and chucked it at the thief's feet, knocking him down for a second. Through the darkness, Batwoman saw a familiar wooden face. "Rex?" she asked herself, unintentionally using her natural voice. Robbie quickly picked up his dummy, and ran off into the night. Tori, however, could barely move. "...Robbie?"

At about eight thirty, Tori was walking through the halls of Hollywood Arts. Beck, who was actually without Jade for once. "Hey, Beck," the brunette greeted her friend. "Where's your other half?"

"She's home sick," Beck answered. "Barely let me go today. What's up with you?"

"Nothing," Tori lied. "Hey, have you seen Robbie today?"

"I think he's in Sikowitz's room," the dark-haired boy answered. Tori noticed Beck's voice breaking as he spoke.

"Is everything alright?" Victoria asked, losing her concentration for a moment.

"...Just worried about Jade," Beck answered, collecting his bearings. "I'll see you later." The boy grabbed his books, and walked away.

Realizing there was nothing she could do, Tori walked into Sikowitz's class, found no one, and began wandering through the hallway. Finally, she found Robbie and Rex talking to one another. Robbie was obviously uneasy. "Hey, Robbie," the brunette greeted the boy, sounding sympathetic.

The curly-haired boy turned his head quickly, caught off guard. "Hi, Tori," he said. "H-how's it going?"

"Um, has everything been okay with you lately?" Victoria asked, acting casually.

"Yeah, everything's been fine," Robbie answered. "I made some new friends earlier today."

"Ah, that's great," the girl replied, not realizing how much like a mother she sounded. "Glad everything's going good for you."

"**Same here**," Rex added. "**If you're interested...we have room for one more groupie.**" "Rex, knock it off," Robbie shot back. "Um, I'll see you later, Tori."

Despite her feelings that things were finally getting better for her friend, Tori couldn't forget the fact that she saw a criminal running out of a bank with Rex in hand. Robbie would never let Rex out of his hands. Something was definitely up. _Too bad I don't have any Bat-Trackers or something like that, _the girl thought to herself.

"I didn't know what to do," Tori confessed, leaning back into the couch. "I didn't wanna ask about his friends since...these are the only one's he's had in years. Plus, I couldn't let him know I saw him last night, because he'd tell Trina...and the only one who saw him was Batwoman...If that even _was_ Robbie."

"Perhaps Robert's new friends have something to do with the robbery," Alfred suggested, setting the plates for dinner.

"That might explain why Rex was at the scene of the crime," Tori replied. "But there's still the matter of his weird behavior...I sound like Sherlock Holmes."

"All the better?" Alfred suggested, wanting to add some levity to this situation.

"Hope not," the girl answered. "I have to check up on Robbie." Being Batwoman was a painful duty; seeing families ruined, lives being destroyed, and always having to keep coming back. However, it had never been one of Tori's friends she pulled into a prison cell in Arkham Asylum.

Robbie heard a knock on his door, but remained on his couch, muttering something to his dummy. "Robbie, it's Tori," the brunette called in, sounding concerned. "Robbie...Is anyone there?" The boy continued whispering to Rex, growing more and more astounded with every passing second. "Robbie, please! I know you're in there! Come on, what's going on with you?" Silence was the only response. "Robbie, please, I wanna help..." Robbie walked out the back door of the house with his friend in hand, and went to meet his friends.

Tori leaned against the door. _Rain began to pour down, drenching her cowl and cape as lightning flashed above her._ "Not Robbie," she whispered, begging herself to make it all go away.

Robbie and Rex sat on the football field with five of the school's most notorious jocks. "**Sound like an idea**?" Rex asked.

"Yeah it does," Vinny shot back, more than happy to pull off the job. "Just make sure it's quick." What high schooler wouldn't be interested in something like this? There was no way they could get caught, and who could pass up free money?

"But what's up with that freaky puppet?" the school's quarterback asked, his voice almost condescending.

"**Lemme show yuh**," Rex all to happily replied, thrusting his metal-laced fist into the boy's face, knocking him onto the ground with a loud thud. "Um..." Robbie stuttered, knowing he may be in danger. "Any questions?" All the football players looked at one another, then decided;

"We're in," they all agreed. The quarterback got up, and confessed his interest.

"**Sweet,**" Rex exclaimed, sounding dark and satisfied. "**Let's get going, dummy.**" Robbie walked towards the car, and the thugs followed him, looking at the setting sun above them.

"Are you sure he's the thief?" Alfred asked Tori, leaning against the door of her room.

"Yeah," Tori regretfully answered, fastening on a bullet-proof vest. "There's no way he'd let Rex out of his sight...and he'd never ignore me unless there was something wrong." The black bat mark flashed in the light of the moon. Throwing on her cape, Victoria stood in her window sill. "Night, Alfred."

"Goodnight, Miss Tori," the Englishman replied, looking at the floor. Trina was already asleep, and wouldn't be a problem tonight, but Alfred still had a lot on his weary mind.

Batwoman lept from the window, and spread her "wings", allowing her to glide down through the darkness of the night. A menacing shadow blew over the ground as Tori sped towards the heart of the city. With any dark excuse for luck, Robbie and Rex would be hitting a convenient store or other places criminals live to violate. Landing atop a tall building, Tori heard thunder behind her, but remained focused on the task at hand. The League of Shadows had its flaws, but they knew about humanity; stealing was like a drug; one time almost always leads to another. Rain began to drizzle down with Gothic coolness encompassing each drop.

Suddenly, the sound of a woman screaming tore through the sound of raindrops hitting the hard rooftops. Tori lunged forward onto another building, but found the sound was only a pregnant woman scared by a dying rat. Disappointed but somewhat relieved, Batwoman let out a silent sigh, and continued scanning Los Angeles.

A car pulled up outside a warehouse near the old police headquarters. Robbie stepped out of the car. "**Here we are**," Rex said. "**They pass this place off as abandoned so they cin keep contraband weapons and drugs. Let's get at it, boys.**" Robbie loved studying the history and myths of the city. One day, he hoped to be a police officer, and put an end to these horrid stories. Looks like that dream died, though. "Okay, two of you guard the main door," Robbie instructed. "The rest...help me n' Rex." The two walked inside, followed by three jocks.

"What a loser," one of the boys whispered to the other.

"Heck yeah," the linebacker replied, looking around the old building.

"Here they are," Robbie declared, picking up a shaved pistol from a wooden cargo box. "**Nice job, dummy,**" Rex congratulated. "**Come on, the cops could be here any minute.**" The three football players began grabbing weapons and bags of heroin, stuffing them into their tote bags. "Rex, why are we doing this?" Robbie asked. "**I...I don't know,**" Rex confessed, almost sounding sad. "**Just keep going!**"

Meanwhile, Batwoman grappled onto a building, and heard a crash coming from the old warehouse. Her heart sinking a little more, Tori swallowed hard, and lept forward, gliding through the night's sky. Glass smashed, scattering millions of shards on the floor, inches away from the teenagers. Everyone backed away in terror.

"The bat!" the quarterback gasped, feeling his arms shake.

Rising up from her shroud of darkness, Batwoman glared down her opponents. "Care to explain?" the young woman demanded, her voice practically in a snarl.

"**Don't back off, shoot her!**" Rex commanded. The young men pulled out their stolen weapons, and began shooting at the masked vigilante. As they did so many times before, the bullets merely bounced off her cape, shattering more windows.

Batwoman walked forward, eminating a terrifying, menacing presence. Knowing they were facing something they couldn't stop, the thieves stepped back, trying to hide their breathing. A bat is naturally blind, but can stimulate a sense similar to sight by echo location. Knowing this, the linebacker remained perfectly still. Reaching the boy, Tori stopped, and stared at the thief with a look of 'are you really this stupid' on her masked face. Batwoman thrust her fist into the teenager's face, knocking him flat on his back. "Look...you can all just drop the guns and go home. This is the last chance you're gonna get."

No one moved. Suddenly, two of the football players pushed Robbie and Rex forward, knocking them onto the ground. "Guys!" Robbie yelled, not believing his friends were leaving him. "**We're all alone, Rob,**" Rex replied, sounding upset.

"No..._you're_ not alone, Robbie," Batwoman replied.

"Y-you're forgetting Rex," Robbie moaned, feeling the room around him starting to spin.

"No I'm not," Tori replied, feeling a lump form in her throat. "Rex isn't real. He's just a dummy...there's still time. You can just walk away."

Robbie looked at his friend. "...You want me to give up Rex, don't you?" the boy asked, growing upset by what he knew was coming.

"Let him go," Batwoman answered, her voice grave. "You don't need him. Please...just for yourself."

Rex stared back at Robbie. Remembering all the years they'd had together, remembering how good it felt when Rex was happy, Robbie dropped his arm down. "It...It's not gonna happened," he silently cried, knowing he'd never be able to give up his beloved friend, no matter how much he wanted to. Robbie began crying into his sleeve, not letting go of his dummy.

Tori dropped her head, knowing what was coming for her friend. Robbie's tears filled the air, even as the police sirens sounded. The police raided the sight, arresting the corrupt athletes and a sad boy and his dummy. From atop a gargoyal on a high building, Batwoman dropped her head, her eyes long closed, and let the rain pour down on her.

Later that night, Robbie lay in his prison cell, listening to Rex talk to him; the only noise around for so long.


	4. Bane

Batwoman: Victorious

Chapter Three: Bane

Chase Matthews threw his fists into his opponent's boxing gloves, listening to the sound of the impact. That sound was the most satisfying thing to his ears; it meant strength, power, and danger. Soon, the two began to spar. Chase jumped around, keeping his fists over his face. Suddenly, the teenager threw a jab into the boy's face, knocking him back. "Come on!" Chase yelled. "Fight back!" Around the two, the gym was dark, and smelled of sweat and blood. Only hard-core fighters dared to show up at Hell Gate Gym, and Chase knew it. Thrusting another hook into his partner's left cheek, the boy lept backwards.

"That's enough," commanded the owner of the gym, walking over towards the ring. "The match is over." Chase threw off his gloves, and stepped under the ropes. "You're really stepping up, Matthew."

Chase took a drink of lukewarm water. "Thanks, chief," he teenager replied. "Might be ready for the pros...if you think so."

"Not yet you're not," the owner answered, reaching into his pocket and pulling out a needle. "Check this out...this stuff can improve your game ten-fold."

"Getting juiced isn't my style," the curly-haired boy replied, throwing a towel around his sweat-soaked neck.

"Who said anything about juice?" Chief came back, looking at the green liquid in the vile. "This stuff's called Venom. Won't register on any drug test, literally doubles your strength with every shot, and has no lasting side effects."

Chase stared at the needle, looking at the fluids swaying inside the glass container. _Venom._ "...It won't show up on any tests?"

"Not once," the owner answered, a smile forming on his face. Shooting his head towards Chase's opponent in the ring, the man handed over the vile. "You're gonna be the bane of his existence," he whispered.

Smiling, Chase took the Venom. "Thanks, old man," he said.

At Hollywood Arts, everything had pretty much gone back to normal. However, the football players involved in Robbie and Rex's robbery were blacklisted, leaving their positions open. Other than that, all was as it used to be. Cat spent a little while mourning what had happened to her friend, but was soon back to her normal, peppy self. Jade was over whatever she was sick with, making her and Beck inseparable once more. Tori, as usual, was preoccupied with her own matters.

Jade pressed her lips into Beck's, tasting everything she knew and loved about him. "Mmm," she moaned before pulling back. "Better than any medicine."

"Glad to hear it," Beck thankfully replied. "I missed the old Jade."

Tori continued walking down the hallway, holding her books over her chest. Cat ran up beside her, her long red hair flapping behind her with grace. "Hey, Tori," she said, her voice excited. "Looks like Jade's back. Do you think she'll be nicer to you now?"

"Doubt it," Tori answered. "She'll probably be like the sister from Pet Cemetery."

"It's too bad Sinjin won't be back," the redhead added, her voice becoming depressed. "W-what did they say was wrong with him, anyway?"

"I think it was called epidermolytic hyperkeratosis," Victoria answered. "Um...didn't he leave like a month ago?"

"Yeah, but Robbie's gone...and I'm having trouble feeling normal now," Cat answered, her voice starting to break.

"Oh, Cat, it'll be okay," the brunette replied, putting her arm around her friend. "Sinjin's getting help, and so is Robbie. Everything's fine." The two walked to Sikowitz's class, and were soon calmed. However, once that distraction had ended, Cat grew depressed again. For anyone who knew Catarina, this would be considered a serious problem.

"Do you think you can make it through the day?" Tori asked the redhead as she cried against her locker.

Cat shook her head, not looking up from her tears. Taking her friend's hand, the brunette walked her down to the office. The two then went to Tori's home. Alfred was always around to help his family, which is more than could be said for Cat's parents. Tori and Catarina sat down on the couch, and the brunette pulled out some paper and scissors.

"Would you like anything to eat or drink, Ms. Valentine?" Alfred offered, his voice cordial and warm as always.

"No thank you, Mr. Pennyworth," the redhead politely answered, her voice almost timid.

"It's no trouble if you do, Kitty," Tori added. "Alfred's happy to help." The Englishman smiled and nodded.

"Well..." Cat gave in. "Do you have any ice cream?"

"What flavor would you like, ma'am?" Alfred asked, happy to be of service.

After having some chocolate chip ice cream, Tori and Cat began making some paper dolls. Childish? Maybe, but who says that's a bad thing? Finally, Cat was happy again.

"Um...Cat," Tori asked, not wanting to offend her friend.

"Yeah, buddy?" the redhead replied, looking away from her dolls.

"...You know Robbie's gonna be okay...right?" Victoria's voice was sweet and gentle, like a mother's.

"I don't know," Cat answered, sinking down into a sad tone again. "It just feels so...wrong. One of my old friends is in prison because of his stupid dummy...I'm scared."

Tori understood what her friend was feeling; insecurity, weakness against the cruel, changing world around her. "Robbie was sick," she fibbed, trying only to help the girl. "He's gonna get better, though...I promise." Cat kind of smiled, and went back to her paper dolls.

Around four, Trina came home, asked why the two weren't at school, then get wrapped up in a phone call. Come six o'clock, it was time for Cat to go home. "...Tori," she said, obviously upset. "Can you sleep over tonight? Please?"

The brunette looked over at her sister. _Please, Trina,_ she begged, knowing her older sister had her protective tendencies. "I'll drive you...if you wanna go, Tori," Katrina said.

"...Thanks, sis," Tori replied, feeling relief. As the two went to gather their things, Katrina grabbed her coat.

"Thanks for being there, Alfred," the older brunette said, her voice warm. "Don't wait up."

Smiling, the Englishman replied, "I'll cancel the pizza," a comical tone detected in his happy voice. Smiling back at her beloved friend, Trina walked out to the car.

Back at the gym, Chase threw punch after punch into a black punching bag filled with sand. The chains supporting the target creaked as they swung back and forth. Dents began to form in the cold surface of the bag, but the teenager persisted. "Chief, this is awesome!" he yelled, pulling his fists back. "I feel amazing!"

"Glad to hear it, kiddo," the owner replied. "Hey...why don't you n' the human punching bag give it another go?"

"Sure thing," Chase excitedly agreed before running into the ring. The older man watched the two fight; Chase was pounding into his opponent, who seemed like he was going to faint. Throwing a sharp jab into Matthew's left cheek, Chase felt a savage sense of passion in his physical power.

Blood splattered out of the weaker fighter's mouth as he was thrown back into the ropes. "That's enough!" Chief called, stepping into the ring. "Good job, son," he said, wiping off some of the blood from the boy's lip. "Hit the showers." After the poor teenager nodded and walked off, Chief looked back at Chase. "Unreal," he congratulated the teenager. "You tore that kid apart...That's what Venom can really do."

Chase nodded, feeling himself start to grow tired. "Thanks, old man," he said, starting to breathe heavy. "See you tomorrow." With that, the boy walked away. Chief watched the boy walk off, wondering what exactly would come of his actions.

Meanwhile, Tori and Cat sat in Catarina's room, watching t.v. and eating popcorn. The redhead had calmed down since her last crying fit several minutes ago. "...Can I ask you something?" Tori asked, her voice sweet.

"Yeah?" Cat replied, looking away from The Brady Bunch.

Tori looked back at her friend with sad eyes, not wanting to upset her, but desperately wanting to know what was troubling her best friend. With a sigh, Cat set down her bowl of popcorn. "They're not gonna get better..." she said, sounding sad.

"What?" Tori asked.

"Robbie and Sinjin...they're not gonna be okay," Cat repeated. "My uncle...he shot a man...and he went to prison. After that, he changed. I don't know about Sinjin...but when people treat you like a freak, you change inside. Especially when people think you're a monster." Not knowing what to say, the brunette put her arm around Catarina's back, holding her closely. "It'll be okay," she whispered, not wanting Cat to ever cry again.

Chase lay in his bed, trying to sleep. It wasn't gonna happen, though. The clock read eleven p.m., but it didn't matter. As his body grew warmer, Chase felt icy cold sweat trickle down his forehead and back. His stomach sick and feeling like it was on its side, the boy continued to shift his position, desperate to find comfort. "Oh," he moaned, clenching his aching teeth together. _Venom..._ The sweat grew more perfuse. Chase felt his pulse spike, causing his entire body to tense up. Locking his knees together, the boy groaned under his heavy breath, deeply desiring surcease of his agony. Finally, the teenager shot out of his bed, and decided to go back to Hell Gate. With any luck, Chief would still be there...with more Venom. _I'm no junky_, he told himself. _But that's stuff's gotta have something to do with my getting sick._

After walking about ten minutes, Chase arrived at the gym. Only one light was left on, but that was all he needed. "Chief!" he called out, hoping the old man would be there. Soon, the man opened the door. "Chase, what's wrong?" he asked, putting his cell phone away.

"I need more of that juice," Chase called back, obviously very tense. "I'm getting sick without it!"

With a smile, Chief motioned towards the gym. "I'll do you one better," he said, deeply satisfied. "Come on." The curly-haired teenager followed his so-called friend into Hell Gate, only hoping Venom was awaiting. Finally, the two got to an office Chase had never seen before. "...How would you like enough Venom to last a lifetime?" Fascinated, Chase nodded. Chief smiled, pulled a tile out of the floor, and took out a fearsome machine that looked like a piece of back armor out of a science fiction movie. Three holes were located along the shoulder line, and a green chamber sat in the midback region. "Try this on for size," Chief said, handing Chase the machine.

_Plugging three containers of Venom into the piece of armor, Chief injected Chase's triceps and neck with extremely thin, sharp needles attached to long green tubes. Snarling in pain, the teenager kept his eyes tightly closed. With great precision, the older man connected the tubes to the viles of Venom, then turned the chamber clockwise roughly ninety degrees. Blood bubbled to the surface of Chase's arms, but it felt good in some way. Slowly, Venom flowed into the boy's veins, making every nerve ending in his body spike with white hot heat. It felt amazing; fury burned in his pounding heart, and he wanted so badly to tear into anything in his path. Chase's muscles bulged, his veins swelled and seemed to come close to bursting, Clenching his teeth together until they made a grinding sound, the boy let out a powerful scream, knowing he was unstoppable. Clenching his enlarged fists, the boy thrust one of them forward, smashing the wall almost effortlessly; bricks flew forward, shattering as they hit the cold ground._ "I like this," Chase said, his deepened voice almost in a whisper.

"I knew you would," Chief happily replied, looking at his new prodigy. "All I need is a little favor in return..."

"As long as I can smash something, I'm in," the large metahuman answered, clenching his fists.

"You might wanna wear a mask, Chase," the older man added, handing the teenager a black luchadore mask with a menacing white circle around each eye hole, and a skull-like design for a mouth. Chase tightly clenched the mask, and put it over his face, letting his green-hued eyes glare through its slits.

Tori awoke from her unwanted nap, and saw Cat curled up on the floor in front of a television set showing old Mickey Mouse cartoons. Blinking once or twice, the brunette stood up, still somewhat dizzy, and gently shook her friend on the shoulder. "Come on, Kitty," she said, her voice in a calm whisper. "Time to get in bed." Tori helped the tired, lightly moaning redhead up, and into her warm bed, then pulled the sheets up to her neck.

"Thanks, Tori," Cat moaned, not opening her tired eyes. Looking at her friend entering innocent, peaceful sleep, Tori smiled, then quietly walked to the bathroom.

Suddenly, Victoria's cell phone rang; it was Alfred. "What's up?" the girl answered, almost in a whisper.

"I am terribly sorry, Miss Tori," the Englishman said. "But I know you would never forgive me for hiding this from you."

"What?" Tori asked, growing anxious.

"A large man is attacking the city," Alfred regretfully answered. "He is vicious and animalistic. I implore you...please take cover with Miss Catarina."

Tori looked back at her friend, and remembered her parents dying in an alley that horrible night. Destiny had been set. "...I'm sorry, Alfred," she said, her voice sad. "But I have to do this."

Feeling his tired heart sink, Alfred dropped back in his seat, holding his wet eyes. Katrina walked into the room, not having any idea what was going on. "What's wrong, Alfred?" she asked.

"...Your sister," the elderly man answered, hating himself more and more by the second. "She's putting herself in danger."

Katrina felt her neck grow hot. Her fists found themselves clench up tightly. Swallowing hard, the teenager began to tremble. "I...ahh!" she screamed, no longer able to control her rage. Trina then stormed out of the room.

Meanwhile, Tori pulled up her shirt, revealing an emergency Batsuit with a yellow insignia with the black bat emblazoned on it. Folding her jacket inside out, the girl revealed a long black cape, fitted with a black cowl with pointed, bat-like ears. Taking one last look at her friend, Victoria silently blew her a kiss, then ran out. Catching a faint glimpse of her friend, Cat let a tear well up in her eye, then slide down her cheek in a long stream.

Batwoman lept out of the open doorway, making sure no one could see her. Screams tore through the quiet city air, acting like a beacon for the girl. Sprinting with all her might, Tori pulled a secret grapple gun out from her black gloves, shot it towards a nearby building, and let it shoot her upward. Glaring at the darkness, Batwoman prepared herself for her foe. Gazing down from the building she rested on, Tori saw a muscular man clad in a leather professional wrestling leotard, tearing up the entire block and screaming like a madman. "My gosh," the girl whispered, beginning to feel fear crawl into her heart.

Chase bent his knees, clenched his fists into a mail box until its metal exterior folded inward, then tore it right out of the ground, and threw it forward, crushing the windshield of a nearby car. Swallowing hard, Batwoman lept into the air, then spread her "wings", letting her stealthfully glide downward at a great speed. Finally, Tori reached Chase, and wrapped her arms tightly around his large neck. Caught off guard, the mutated boy became frantic, until he reached the pest, and threw her sharply on the ground.

With a yelp of pain, Batwoman heard a bone in her spine pop, but quickly jumped back onto her feet.

"You must be the big bat everyone's been talking about," Chase said, his deep voice laced with condescending humor.

"And I thought you were just ugly," Tori replied, her smokey, raspy voice confident as ever. Throwing her fists back, the young woman entered a bold fighting stance.

"Ha," Chase mocked. "Let's see yuh fly with a clipped wing!" With that, the behemoth charged forward. Batwoman lept into the air, but felt a tight clenching around her right leg; Chase had her right where he wanted her. The muscular freak threw Tori onto the ground, then waited for her to stumble to her feet to throw a punishing jab into her right shoulder, nearly breaking it on the spot. "Ah!" she yelled, feeling like her arm was on fire.

Several people watched, using only the light of the stars to help their sight. It didn't take long for them to realize that the mysterious bat creature was really a young woman in a black costume. Despite this, she still seemed dangerous.

Chase thrust his fist into Batwoman's cheek. However, the girl dodged soon enough to reduce the impact to a slash from his knuckle. Blood began to slide down Tori's cheek, but she ignored it. _This guy's a monster,_ she thought, feeling herself starting to tremble. The girl threw her fist into the boy's stomach, but left no damage.

"My turn," Chase laughed, smacking Batwoman in the rib cage, knocking her into the sidewalk. The monster tightly grabbed Tori's throat and legs, nearly crushing her knees. "I will _break_ you!" he hollered, rage filling his throat as he threw the teenager down over his bent knee. A loud, vicious cracking sound tore through the air, only to bleed into Tori's agonized screams.

The pain was unbearable; she began to see flashes and colors; everything was getting blurry. However, giving in to slumber meant death. Gathering the last of her dying strength, Batwoman pulled the bat emblem off of her chest, revealing a razor-thin Baterang that glistened in the moonlight, and chucked it at one of Chase's Venom tubes, severing it instantly. Green liquid began to pour from the damaged artery, to Chase's great pain.

"Ahhh!" he whaled, feeling himself grow weaker by the second. As the liquid gushed out, it poured onto a power wire that had fallen during the beast's rampage. Electricity snarled, and forced itself into Chase's body, causing him unfathomable agony. "Aaaahhhh!" the poor teenager screamed, losing all dignity and composure. Finally, the current stopped, and the boy collapsed on the ground, unable to fight anymore.

"Alfred..." Tori moaned, pressing an ear piece she'd hooked up earlier. "H-help..." Dropping her arm, the girl lost consciousness. She was running, scared and restless. However, she was so weak and tired, wanting nothing more than to sleep forever more. But her parents would never allow it. Her breath heavy, Tori tried to find a light, but only darkness remained. Suddenly, it all shattered; Tori shot up in her bed in the hospital, her breath frantic. Katrina grabbed her sister's shoulder, and pulled her down.

"Relax," Trina said, sounding angry. "You're okay." The younger brunette closed her eyes, and lay back down. "What were you doing out there?"

Tori looked at Alfred, who made a gesture that said his ward's secret was safe. "I...I was afraid that..." Tori began to lie.

"Save it," Katrina interrupted, her voice laced with anger. "This was the dumbest thing you've ever done. I worried myself sick over you!" The girl glared at her sister for a moment. The air filled with tension, then Trina stormed out.

"Alfred...thanks for saving me," Victoria moaned, feeling her back throb.

"You are like a daughter to me," the Englishman replied. "...However, if you will continue to foolishly put your life on the line, you will have to find a new butler slash getaway driver...This is not what your mother wanted for you." With that, Alfred walked out of the room, leaving Tori alone.

Cat sat in the waiting room, her head down. "You don't have to see her," Jade said, trying to keep her voice down. "Not after what she did to you."

"She's my friend," Catarina replied, fighting back tears. "I'm sure she had a good reason...Tori doesn't want to hurt me." Once Katrina and Alfred exited the building, the redheaded girl walked in to see her friend.

"Hey, Kitten," Victoria managed to get out, knowing she was in trouble.

"Hey, Tori," Cat greeted her friend, a smile on her face as she sat down by Victoria's bed. "How you doing?"

"Been better," the brunette jokingly answered. "Look, I am so sorry I left, I..."

"Don't worry about it," the redhead interrupted, her voice sympathetic. "I know you had a good reason. I'm just sorry you got hurt."

"I'm fine," Tori answered. "I just need to lay down for a long time...they said my spine was frayed."

Cat gently stroked Tori's hair, avoiding the gos around her forehead. "Thanks for spending time with me," she whispered. "You're such a good friend." Tori felt guilty, but cared too much about Cat to show it. The redhead wrapped her arms gently around her friend. "I love you, Tori," Cat said, her eyes closed.

"I love you too," Tori warmly replied, feeling hot tears form in her eyes. Hardly able to move, the girl wrapped her bandaged right arm around Cat's shoulder, and felt her warmth against her wounded body.

Meanwhile, Chief sat at his desk in the dark, talking on the phone. "Chase was arrested...yeah, Arkham," he said, his voice low and raspy. "He did prove next to invincible against that girl, though. The Venom kept him doing what I told him...So, as you can imagine, I'm gonna need more. But we'll need to construct a more secure armor, though. What's your next move?"

"You'll see soon enough," the man on the other line answered, moving his Bishop piece into his desired position on the chess board. "Checkmate."


	5. Don't Be Afraid

Batwoman: Victorious

Chapter Four: Don't be Afraid

"Case diagnosed as arachnophobia," a brunette teenage girl announced, writing on a clipboard. Paige continued to examine her patients; one after another. Irrational fears, childhood traumas leading into phobias. Screams, psychological trauma. All so typical. Everyday, it was the same. "Patient diagnosed with an acute Astrophobia."

"Thank you, Ms. Howard," an African American doctor said, his voice filled with the same fake gratitude it had every day.

"Yep," Paige replied, taking off her hospital gown uniform, knowing her endless day had finally come to an end at 9:30 p.m. Reading over a story in her mind, the girl tried to calm herself down; _Icabar Crane was on his way home from the ball..._ she recited to herself. _Sleepy Hollow was haunted by the legend of The Headless Horseman; a mysterious and ghostly figure said to have lost his head in the Civil War, replacing it with a jack o' lantern. The jack o' lantern is named after a fictional being said to have been rejected from Heaven and hell._

_ As the young man walked along the dusty road in that dark night, he heard something far behind him. Not seeing anything, Crane kept on. However, the sound grew louder; it was the sound of a horse running. Seeing through the fog, the man saw none other than the headless horseman, his carved eyes blazing with ghastly fire as he charged atop his demon steed. Crane screamed, and ran with all his might. Removing the gourd that was his head, The Horseman made a ruthless attempt to slaughter his prey. Someone claimed they heard a pumpkin splatter on the sidewalk, joined by a man screaming. Other people say that Crane ran across the bridge, narrowly dodging the burning pumpkin, and going across the old bridge; no evil spirit may cross moving water. Crane spent the rest of his days running, they say..._ Turning the dim light on in her bedroom, Paige began rifling through her things, as she ritualistically did when she returned home from her miserable job. As a prodigy, the girl was "honored" with the position of a psychologist at the local hospital. "I hate them," Paige snarled under her breath, collecting all the rage she felt all day. Everyday was useless, meaningless, and thankless. Why couldn't these people overcome or live with their fears? They were all so pathetic, Paige thought.

Pulling an old, ragged piece of gray fabric that used to be a sack for potatoes, the girl gazed at what she saw; two slits for eyes, and an open mouth letting in breeze. _The Scarecrow, _Paige said to herself, feeling the tiny hairs on her arms stand on end. _The traditional symbol of fear; its name is, obviously, derived from its purpose of scaring crows away from farmers' crops. Who does this ragged being really frighten, though? What, with its old clothing, lifeless eyes, and open, dangling mouth. Maybe it's what the scarecrow represents; fear, paranoia, hatred..._ The image of an elderly farmer running out of his old, run-down house, shotgun in hand, screaming at birds and children. His eyes blazed over with anger, and fear; fear of losing his crops to those he couldn't control. Paige licked her lips, and pulled the sack over her face, letting in a red view of her surroundings. "Let's all sing...a scary ghost story," the teenager sang in a half-whisper. Every word of the song with icily enticing. "Make it long...make it gory. Make the hero eat his words. Then let the villain eat them all like worms. I don't want to go to sleep tonight; I just want to muse over fright." Throwing on an old, ragged brown suit laced with grizzly strands of hay around the sleeves, long, thin brown slacks, and an old, torn hat, The Scarecrow gazed down at the city, readying itself to fill it with fear. Paige grabbed a sithe from out of her dark, cool closet, and felt its strong handle; its cool, razor-thin blade. Wearing dark, torn gloves, the girl felt her heart race as she plunged herself into the world of fear.

Lightning flashed in the distance, but Tori and Cat payed it no mind. "Go Fish," the redhead happily said, sitting beside her friend's bed.

"Nerts," Victoria jokingly replied, drawing a card from the deck that rested atop her white sheets. "...Thanks for spending another night with me, Cat."

"Anytime, buddy," the redhead said. "I'm just sorry you're still not better. It's been about a month."

"Oh, it's okay," Tori replied, touched by her friend's concern. "I don't miss school all that much. Oh, how's Beck and Jade doing?"

"Beck's kind of stressed," Cat answered. "Jade's pretty much the same, but she's not doing much. I think she misses you. Andre's doing good. Oh! I almost forgot...I baked you some cupcakes!" Reaching into a thermal bag, the redhead pulled out a silver tray of red velvet cupcakes.

"Oh, thanks, Kitty," Tori exclaimed, extremely touched. "You are the sweetest girl in the world." The happy girl handed her injured friend a warm cupcake coated with white frosting and heart-shaped sprinkles colored pink, blue, and white.

"To friends," Cat said, holding her cupcake out for a toast. Tori gently hit her red velvet into her friend's.

"You just want me to get chubby," the brunette joked before taking a bite. Cat giggled as she took a bite, leaving vanilla frosting around her lips.

"Here, sweetie," Tori said, gently wiping the icing off the girl's lips.

"Thanks," Cat replied. Rain began to hit the window, making a light pitter-patter noise. Staying in a nice, warm hotel room made the two feel cozy. "I'm really glad you're my friend."

"And there isn't another person in the world I'd rather have for mine," the brunette happily agreed. Gently moving forward, Tori gave Cat a hug, which felt weird while wearing a pink hospital gown.

"Hey," greeted a happy, familiar voice. Trina and Alfred walked into the room. "How's my little sis doing?"

"Nervous and suspecting," Tori answered in a semi-humerus tone. "You're not still mad at me?"

"No, Miss Tori," Alfred answered. "We're family...and the family butler. And family forgives one another...especially when all that was done was something filled with good intentions."

Victoria chuckled a little. "Thanks, guys," she said, giving her big sister a hug.

"Sorry I was such a jerk," Katrina said. "Make that two sorry people of questionable conduct," the Englishman added, adding his usual sophisticated yet somewhat stuffy humor to the conversation.

"Oh, this is so nice," Cat exclaimed. "Let's celebrate!" The redhead pulled out two more red velvet cupcakes for Katrina and Alfred.

"Thank you, Miss Valentine," Alfred said, taking the lovily prepared pastry.

"Thanks, Cat," Trina added. "Glad to see you're doing better, Tori."

"Yep," Victoria replied. "I should be back on my feet in another week or two." After about ten minutes, Trina took Cat down to the cafeteria to get some hot cocoa, leaving Tori and Alfred to do some much-needed talking.

"Thanks for not blowing my secret," the brunette began, her voice in a whisper. "That means a lot to me."

"You're welcome, Miss Tori," Alfred replied. "However, I was not lying about what I told you earlier...I do not want you to put yourself in harm's way."

"I understand," the teenager replied. "I know you worry about me...And the only reason you told me about that freak was so I'd get to safety...I'll try to be more careful."

"Does that mean you will retire the cape and cowl?" the Englishman hopefully asked.

"...I don't think so," Tori confessed, somewhat disappointed with herself. "But I do have some new ideas to make the job a lot safer...for me." The two laughed a little.

"Oh, I do have another favor to ask you," Alfred continued. "You're sister was very distraught when she heard about you're sneaking out. In addition, she was terrified by your crazy behavior, as she calls it, and has insisted that you attend therapy after you're release from the hospital."

"What?" Tori snapped, growing upset. "I can't do that!"

"Please calm yourself," the elderly man said, not wanting to give his beloved ward more distress. "The therapist doesn't have to know of your... Job. Your sister is looking out for you, and just wants to know why you behave the way you do. I apologize, but there is no avoiding this; It is for you own good."

"Alright...alright," Victoria gave in, laying back down. "Who's the therapist gonna be?"

"Hugo Strange," Alfred answered.

"Sounds like a good choice," the teenager sarcastically responded.

"Don't let his name fool you," the Englishman lightly defended the doctor. "Mr. Strange is one of the most respected minds in the country. He has helped so many."

"Maybe I don't think I need help," Tori moaned under her breath.

"What if you do, though?" Alfred replied, touching on a nerve. Victoria remained silent, listening to the rain hitting the windows.

A frightened young couple ran down an alley, feeling the icy sweat slide down their backs. They were desperate to escape the horror, but it was everywhere. Millions of oily, crawling, squirming insects wiggled their tiny, hairy little legs up the walls and ground. Each one opened and closed their sharp, tiny mandibles, wanting to consume the teenagers. The boy screamed as darkness encased him, closing in every second he existed.

"Oh," mocked an evil-sounding voice that echoed within itself with a horrifying undervoice ranging from a grizzly whisper to a deep, demonic tone. "Don't tell me you're afraid." The Scarecrow stepped out of the fog and violent rain, millions of maggots crawling out of her eyes and mouth and fire raging through her pupils. Walking forward, Scarecrow pulled out her sithe, preparing to deliver fear in every way.

"No, please," the young girl begged, her pulse spiraling as her heart pounded. Soon, her throat sealed with fear, and she started to see flashes of white light.

Still, the ghastly being walked onward, its eyes burning with vicious hatred, and its breath deep, vicious, and surrounding everything. With a moan of pure terror and satisfaction, the monster lifted its sithe, letting it shine in the light of the moon.

Tori lay in bed, her eyes closed. The sound of rain and gentle thunder blew by, but Katrina, Alfred, Cat, and Victoria were in deep sleep. Days much too like this one went by, and Tori was finally released, though she was far from fully recovered. Unfortunately, the girl caught wind of terrified civilians and an increased amount of mental patients; most of which had had no prior medical issues of this level. "This is bad," Tori declared, not looking away from the television.

"As bad as I fear it is?" Alfred asked, growing concerned for his ward's safety.

"I think so," Victoria answered, her emotions mixed between sad and devoted. Struggling to get up, the girl aimed her sight at her closet.

"I am sorry, Miss Tori, but I cannot allow this," the English butler declared, injecting Tori with a needle filled with pink liquid.

"What did you do?" Tori demanded, growing uneasy, but feeling herself slip into an exhausted state.

"I've taken a needed precaution," Alfred answered. "This city can do without The Batwoman for a few days."

The following day, Beck and Jade stood at their locker, staring into each other's eyes. "Something's been wrong lately," the young man said, feeling an uneasiness within himself. "Are you sure you're okay?"

"I keep telling you, yes," Jade replied, sounding aggravated. "What about you? You're usually not this paranoid."

"Yeah," Beck answered, feeling the back of his neck grow sweaty and warmer than usual. "I just...I don't know." The dark-haired boy gently wrapped his arms around his girlfriend's back, desperately seeking a way to keep a hold on himself, and find solace. Jade returned the gesture, her eyes closed as she calmly stroked down Beck's long, flawless hair. Soon, the boy began to sob, though he tried to control it.

"Sssh," Jade gently whispered, continuing to hold her beloved. "Sssh. It's okay...Everything's gonna be okay. Now tell me what's wrong?" Unlike most times, the girl's voice was gentle and open to love.

"I don't know," Beck managed to squeak out between heavy gasps. "Nothing feels right...Oh, I'm breaking down again."

"It's okay," Jade comforted. "It won't be like last time. I'm here...I'll always be here for you." Beck held his beloved tighter, never wanting this to end. Ever since Jade got sick again, everything had been wrong...off. Unable to stop, the teenager continued to weep into his girlfriend's shoulder.

"What if..." Beck began to say, barely understandable anymore.

"Everything'll be okay," Jade interrupted, looking at her boyfriend with half-opened eyes. "Just cry it out." However, Beck knew crying wouldn't get rid of his true fear; the sickness.

After her lover calmed himself, Jade began to walk to her next class, but felt a horrible burning in the back of her throat. Soon, she doubled over and began coughing and gagging, though she tried to hide it from the others. Recovering from her ordeal, Jade continued to walk, as if nothing had happened, or been happening.

Meanwhile, Paige looked over several files. _Childhood-rooted case of Maniaphobia, _the girl read over to herself. "Hmm... I remember this one... Jadeyn West," Paige mumbled. "Suffers from a mild Kakorrhaphiophobia...interesting."

"I still can't believe you did that," Victoria said, rubbing the injection puncture on her left arm.

"I do apologize again, Miss Vega," Alfred replied as he walked his daughter-figure up the stairs of Hugo Strange's office. "It was only for your safety. You are still not fully recovered."

"Welcome, Miss Victoria," greeted a somewhat tall man with black hair on the sides of his head, but not on his bare crown. Clad in extremely dark sunglasses, the man was certainly mysterious. "I am Doctor Strange."

"A pleasure," Alfred greeted the man, extending his hand to shake. Hugo gently but firmly clasped the man's hand, and shook it.

"You're a confident yet restrained man," Strange diagnosed. "Well, Miss Vega, let us begin our session." Tori bid farewell to Alfred, then walked into Hugo Strange's office, which was a fairly warm environment, furnished with light, earth-toned chairs and couches, and had its shades half-opened to let in scattered amounts of sunlight. "Tell me exactly why you're here, Victoria."

"Um, you can call me Tori," the girl politely replied. "I'm here because my sister and guardian...my butler, Alfred Pennyworth, were worried about me."

"May I ask the reason for Mr. Pennyworth's guardianship?" Hugo asked, his voice lacking in emotion.

"...My parents were killed by a thief in an alley," Tori uneasily answered. "Alfred had been working for our family since my dad was about twenty. He was pretty much our only kin."

"Were you there when your parents died?" Hugo continued to ask.

"...Yes," the girl answered, feeling her throat begin to hurt. "Me and my sister."

"How old were you?" Strange persisted, beginning to build a scenario. After dozens of questions, Hugo arrived at a conclusion; Tori was still suffering with pardom. In addition, she was under a great amount of stress. "Now, what caused your family to question your stability? If you know?"

"...There was an accident," the teenager answered.

"Not by the sounds of it," Hugo retorted, obviously suspecting a deeper issue. "I noticed you had some trouble walking, and have been restricting your movements...Were you injured in this accident?"

"...Yeah," Tori gave in. "There was some freak attacking the city, and I felt like I had to try to stop it."

"Such responsible behavior is admirable, but somewhat inappropriate," Strange replied. "It is not your job to enforce the law...it is the police's. Especially when there is such a severe threat as that behemoth."

"It felt like..." the brunette began to explain.

"Did your father teach you to involve yourself in matters that are above your control?" Hugo asked, void of any emotion. Tori refused to respond. "A Mister Thomas Vega was a doctor...is it possible you tried to take on similar responsibilities as he did upon his passing?" Victoria stared at the wall. "If you resist me, there is nothing I can do for you." Hugo walked over to the door, not speaking another word, then opened it. "You're free to go...That's what you want, isn't it?"

Tori shook her head, growing extremely uneasy. She didn't want to leave; maybe all she wanted was for someone to care about what she was going through. Maybe she wanted to tell her horrid secret.

"...Let me tell you about a trip I took," Strange said, closing the door and taking a seat. "It was to a place called Zur-En-Arh. While I was there, I learned several techniques to free the mind, if only for brief instances. Are you willing to try one of these techniques...or do you have something to hide?"

"...Yes," Victoria answered, barely able to speak. "I'm afraid...no one knows but Alfred..."

"As it should be?" Hugo asked, understanding Tori's condition more and more with every passing second. Tori nodded. "You don't trust people around you...and I am no exception...An intelligent decision, but not one that will work with the world as it is now. All that aside, there is a root to your lack of trust." Tori swallowed hard, trying not to make eye contact with the doctor. This session would obviously be, overall, useless for both of the attendants.

Back at Hollywood Arts, Cat was sitting with Jade at a lunch table under a small section of the school's roof. "I heard Beck was crying earlier," Cat said, sounding sad and sympathetic.

"Yeah," Jade answered, "Been crying...He told me he's afraid of having another break down. I know he's worried about me, too."

"I'm sorry," Cat replied, not knowing how to make anything better. "Is everything okay with you?"

"...Yeah," Jade lied, just wanting to comfort her friend. "I'm fine, Kitten. It's Beck who has the problems. I think his parents are making him miserable."

"I don't think I've every met Beck's mom and dad," Cat said. "What are they like?"

"They're irritating, but they're okay," Jade answered, not exactly being the closest one to Mister and Misses Oliver. "Plus, he's been getting really down lately. He won't tell me what's bothering him...what's really bothering him." Cat gently touched Jade's shoulder.

"Maybe you two need help," the redhead suggested, her voice sweet.

"Hey, guys," Andre' greeted the two, not knowing what was going on. "Oh...is everything okay?"

"Yeah," Jade effortlessly lied, putting on her usual, confident face. "How's everything with you?"

"Same old," Andre' answered, knowing he shouldn't be the center of attention. "Um, if you guys were talking, I could just go."

"No, that's okay," Cat replied, not wanting to be rude. "We like talking to you...Have you seen Tori since she left the hospital?"

"Here and there," Andre' answered. "I'm kind of worried about how she got there in the first place, though."

"I think she was just being an idiot," Jade coldly suggested.

"Jade!" Cat snapped, getting upset.

"What's up with you, anyway?" the African-American teenager shot back. "Tori's never been anything but nice to you, but you treat her like garbage."

"I don't need this!" the dark-haired girl said, storming off. From a distance, a thin brunette girl watched Jade. This would certainly be an interesting experiment.

That night, Jade and Beck were walking home from one of the dark clubs the girl loved. Under the night's sky, the two felt cold and alone. "That was nice," Beck said.

"Hoped it would be," Jade replied, looking at her lover for a second. The two heard something behind them, but only Jade looked back.

"What was that?" Beck asked, glancing back for a second.

"Probably just a cat looking for food," the dark-haired girl answered, not seeming to care that much. With that, the two kept walking.

"Excuse me," said the voice of a young girl. Jade and Beck looked into the alley, and saw a child wearing a torn blanket and sitting on a cardboard box.

"...Are you lost?" Beck asked, his voice caring.

"No," the girl answered, shaking her head, which was hidden in shadows.

"Are your parents by here?" Jade asked, her voice unusually sympathetic. The little girl stood up, revealing herself to be about Jade's height. Shocked, the couple stepped back. Allowing the blanket to fall off, the child walked closer, now clad in a ragged brown outfit and hat.

"What the?" Beck whispered, terrified. Walking closer to the two, the little girl lifted her face, revealing an eerie face with empty eyes. Letting out a deep, supernatural breath, the scarecrow-like creature threw out its hands, shooting a stream of green mist into Jade and Beck's faces. The two coughed, feeling their eyes and throat burn.

"What was that?" Jade demanded, trying to see straight. Her sight distorted, the girl looked ahead to see The Scarecrow standing still, ominously existing among the smoke. _You've lost,_ said a ghostly, wicked-sounding voice. Growing nervous, the dark-haired girl stepped back, hitting her boyfriend. "Beck?" she asked, her voice breaking.

"I don't love you anymore, Jadey," Beck replied, before opening his mouth to reveal a vortex of fire. "You've let me down so many times," the teenager's voice was now deep and demonic. "Treated me like I was your property...even though you never loved me to begin with..."

"Stop it!" Jade begged, losing all composure as she screamed. "I do love you!" Shadows began to swarm around the girl, making her legs grow cold and numb. _You've lost Beck because you weren't good enough...He always wanted Tori..._ "Stop it! Leave me alone!" Jade began to swing her fists, though every missed blow meant failure. Finally, she gave up, and looked for a sanctum. However, none existed; not now.

The Scarecrow walked closer, its eyes burning with blue light and her face crawling with insects. "Are you afraid, little girl?" she asked, her voice deep, echoing, and supernatural.

Beck clenched the back of his head, his eyes tightly closed, and his body tossing and turning side to side. It was like the breakdown; there was no escape. Sweat began to stream down the boy's face, drenching everything. His heart pounding, Beck couldn't remember where he was. "Your fear is delicious," Scarecrow declared, walking closer to the two.

"That's enough!" Batwoman commanded, thrusting her gloved fist into Paige's cloth face, knocking her into a wall. The young woman was clad in her bullet-proof jacket, gray suit and cape, and a glowing pad over her spine.

"Oh," Scarecrow said, rising to her feet like a puppet on strings; lifeless. "The big...bad...Bat. They said you were just a girl in a play suit."

Lowering her white, menacing eyes, Tori walked slowly to one side, as if battling her foe in a boxing ring. "You don't seem so scary," she mocked, her voice deep and as rough as gravel in a blender.

"Looks can deceive you," Scarecrow declared, lunging forward in a cloud of green smoke. Batwoman lunged back, only to be swallowed by the monstrous villain. Opening her eyes, Victoria found herself surrounded in darkness, wandering around aimlessly.

"Alfred?" Tori called, obviously nervous. "Trina?...Cat?" Walking forward, the teenager tried to find something. Where was she? Where had she been? Suddenly, the girl found herself back in the alley. Taking a second to recuperate, Batwoman looked down at Jade and Beck. "Are you two okay?" she asked, using her raspy voice.

"No," Jade answered, seeing everything around her spinning. "We...we need a hospital." _What am I doing? This girl could be a psychopath. But we need someone, _the girl debated to herself. Batwoman took the two's hands, and helped Beck onto her shoulder. As the girl helped Jade up, seeing she was in a more stable condition than her boyfriend, the sound of sirens broke her concentration.

"Freeze!" one of the officers screamed, pulling a gun out of his holder. Batwoman turned around, caught off guard. "Put them down!"

"Are you gonna get 'em to the hospital faster?" Batwoman demanded, obviously having a better grasp on what she was doing.

"She's just trying to help!" Jade managed to cry, not wanting this night to get any worse.

Ignoring the begging, the officers fired; blood splattered down onto Tori's shoulder. "No!" the teenager screamed, unable to believe what happened because of her. "I didn't mean to...Jade! Beck! I'm sorry!" Falling to her knees, the girl began to cry, unable to stop it all.

Batwoman smashed herself into the wall of the alley, shocked and distraught. "What?" she shrieked, confused.

"Looks like the little girl's scared," The Scarecrow mocked, walking over to the young woman with the sithe in hand.

Intensely focusing on her opponent, Tori tried to gather her bearings, and lunged forward. Scarecrow turned to her side, and let Batwoman smash into the wall head-on. _Tori, _called a familiar voice. Terrified, Tori turned around, and saw none other than her mother and father. "...Mommy?" she asked, almost ready to cry. "Daddy?" _You've failed us, Tori, _Martha said, looking down at the ground, too ashamed of her daughter to face her. Feeling a warm, stinging sweat begin to slide down the back of her neck and her back, Tori shook away the illusion, and threw a Baterang at The Scarecrow, slashing her across the face. "Stop it!" Tori demanded, her voice growing vicious.

"That's the thing about fear," Scarecrow replied. "...It never stops. It swims through your mind forever."

"Stop it!" Tori screamed, thrusting her fist into Paige's, knocking her on the floor. The wicked girl spit out blood, her hands shaking, then faded into the darkness. "Oh...are you two okay?"

"My boyfriend needs a hospital," Jade answered, not taking her hands off of Beck.

"I'll get you there," Batwoman replied, putting Beck onto her armored shoulder. Shooting a grappling hook onto a nearby building, the girl lept into the air. "Follow us on the ground!" Tori called, trying to be gentle on Beck.

Soon, the three arrived at the same hospital Tori was staying at. "I need you to take him inside," Batwoman told Jade. "I can't let them see me."

"Okay, thank you," Jade said, her voice tense and rushed as she pulled her lover's arm over her shoulder. The dark-haired teenager then ran into the hospital as Batwoman departed.

Suddenly, Tori clenched her arm in agony, falling on her right knee. Looking at her arm, the girl found the suit had been punctured. Her hand shaking, Batwoman grabbed the wound, and pulled out a small needle. _Scarecrow, with a howl of rage, jabbed a needle filled with a green liquid._ Stumbling onward, the girl finally made it back to her home, hidden by the guise of night. "A-...Alfred," she moaned, pressing her communicator. With that done, Victoria collapsed into the bushes, unconscious.

"Please hold still," Alfred said, cleaning the wound in his ward's arm.

"I'm so sorry...I just wanted...to help them," Tori managed to gasp out, her voice frantic, and her brow covered with sweat.

"What the hell is wrong with you?" Katrina screamed, infuriated. "Are you trying to kill yourself? You've been sneaking out every night, haven't you? One week! One week after you get out of the hospital, and you do something like this!"

"Trina, I'm sorry," Victoria mumbled. "I was worried about...my friends were..." The girl began to cry, losing all her composure.

"She's been drugged," Alfred declared. "I will return her to the hospital immediately."

"Forget that," Katrina replied, still angry. "Let's take her to a mental hospital." Powerless to defend herself, Tori turned her aching head sideways, clenching her teeth. Feeling sorrow for his ward, and for what he'd failed to do, Alfred helped Trina take Victoria to the car. Again, the Englishman had managed to secure his ward's secret.

"You believe you have to do this," Hugo Strange diagnosed. "You won't believe anyone else when they tell you otherwise, and you will never find it in yourself to stop." Tori remained still, staring at the ceiling.

"I saw them," the girl whispered. "...My parents. They were so disappointed with me...It's all my fault." Strange continued to write down his notes. "Are they outside now?" Shooting her head backwards, Victoria saw no one was there, and took a breath of safe relief. "It's okay," she whispered. "I'm okay."

"That was more than just a drug," Alfred whispered, listening from outside the door.


	6. Beast

Batwoman: Victorious

Chapter Five: Beast

"This isn't like you," Katrina said, disappointment in her voice. Tori continued to stare at the floor in the midst of the shadows. "It broke my heart when you ran away all those years ago...then you come back, and you keep scaring me. You sneak out, have Alfred cover for you...why?"

"I don't know," Tori sniffled, her throat throbbing.

"The only reason I wanted you to stay inside was because...of what happened to Mom and Dad," Trina continued, her voice breaking. "I care about you...cuz you're my sister...and I love you. Why do you keep hurting yourself?"

"I not trying to," Victoria mumbled, her heart shattering, just like that fateful night. The girl snuffed back her tears, trying to keep her breath steady and silent.

"Then what are you doing?" Katrina continued to scold, fighting back tears.

"I don't know," Tori answered, not looking at her older sister. "There's nothing wrong with me...I don't need to be here." Everything seemed so dark, so tired. This had been going on for far too long.

"...If we let you come home...will you promise to stop?" Trina finally gave in, just wanting everything to be right again.

"Yeah," the brunette managed to squeak out, her throat aching. "I need to talk to Cat first, though...she's been really worried."

"Okay," Trina replied. "I'll tell Alfred you're back. Love you." With that, Katrina walked out of the room. Tori felt a hot tear quickly slide down her soft cheek. However, a smile formed on her face.

"Hey, baby," greeted a familiar, comforting voice. Beck opened his eyes, and saw Jade standing by his bedside, looking him in the eyes lovingly.

"Hi," Beck managed to reply, obviously weak and tired from the ordeal. "I missed you."

"I missed you, too," the dark-haired girl said, gently stroking her boyfriend's long, slightly greasy hair. "I've dreamed about you every night. Even our cats were crying last night." Beck gave a weak, polite laugh, wanting to keep the mood light. "Miss Puddy didn't get one wink." Jade leaned in, and kissed her lover's cheek, tasting something different on him.

"I'm really glad you're here," the boy said, his voice reduced to a moan. "I was so...afraid I was breaking down again."

Jade gently moved a thick strand of hair out of Beck's face. "What's happening to you?" she asked, her voice sweet. "Why are you getting so torn up?"

"...I don't know," Beck lied. Last night was just like all the others; Tori, walking through darkness, draped in a glowing, almost transparent dress. She was walking towards him, just like he wanted. "...That freak the other night...what did he spray us with?"

"I don't know," Jade answered. "They said it wasn't enough to do any major damage, though. You're still getting it out of your body, though. You'll be fine soon."

"I can still see its face...hear that voice..." Beck whispered, growing upset.

"She's gone now," Jadeyn interrupted. "That bat woman slaughtered her. She's there for people like you and me...she's here to protect everyone."

"C-could you maybe stay the night again?" Cat asked, her voice trembling over the phone.

"...Sure thing, Kitty," Victoria answered. "I'll just ask Alfred to pack my pajamas, and I'll be there in a few." Tori's returning to the hospital had been so tough for Cat; she needed someone right now. Alfred and Katrina would understand; they had to.

Meanwhile, Sinjin, one of the suffering students at Hollywood Arts, was in a chair that was tilted back in a dark, damp, cool room. "Please, just cooperate with us," a male doctor begged, growing aggravated.

"No!" Sinjin screamed, squirming violently. His skin, from what showed, was rough and coated in what seemed to be scales. Since he was diagnosed, the boy's condition had worsened, and the treatments were doing nothing. "I'm a freak, and there's nothing you can do to make it stop!" Tragically, Sinjin noticed that his back was becoming a green hue, and the scales and dry, peeling flesh was spreading everywhere.

"You just need to be patient," a female nurse persisted. "It's only gonna get worse if you don't work with us."

It didn't take long for the hair loss to start, revealing more hideous skin that was coming off like the skin of an onion. Sinjin was horrified by the changes his body was going through. When puberty began, he thought he was turning into a monster...now he knew he was. The most horrifying thing of all was the red pigmentation of his eyes, and the ever-growing amount of scales tearing through his once near-flawless skin. He'd heard what everyone said, including the doctors behind his back; freak, mutant, alligator boy, side show freak. Maybe he was a monster; he felt like it. He no longer had any right or will to feel good about himself. Spending so much time alone, the teenager got in time to exercise and build up his ugly body. Not that it would matter; he couldn't fight this.

"What do you think you're turning into?" one of the doctors finally asked one day.

"A freak," Sinjin answered, fighting back tears. "A human-sized crocodile. That's all I am." Nobody ever cared about the school dork, freak, or creep known as Sinjin. Now, their hatred had a reason to it; he was an abomination. This was where he belonged; in the sewers, away from everyone. Getting away from the doctors was easy; the rage that came with being a freak wasn't. Filing his teeth until they could penetrate flesh with so much as a flick, letting his nails grow long and sharp, like the claws of a crocodile, remembering those disgusted looks from everyone around him. Knowing he was safe from the horrors of the world, the boy slipped into the dank darkness of the sewers, fading from everyone's mind, or so he thought.

Tori and Cat walked into the redhead's bedroom. "Thanks for inviting me, Cat," Tori said, using a sweet voice.

"No, thank you," Catarina replied, struggling to keep her voice straight.

"Catarina!" called a loud, rage-laced voice that sent a white hot chill down Cat's spine.

"...Yes, Mommy?" the redhead called back, her voice weak and sweet.

"Did you invite someone over without asking me again?" Ms. Valentine asked, her voice happy yet disturbingly inquisitive and sick.

"Um, I just wanted to study over some material she missed," Cat pleaded, sounding like a scared little child.

"I can leave if it's a problem, Misses Valentine," Tori said, just trying to keep her friend out of trouble.

"Cat, can you come in here, please," the woman asked, obviously intending to punish her daughter; her happy voice was enough to make anyone sick to their stomach.

"Cat, I'm sorry, I can just go, I..." Tori began to whisper, growing nervous and upset.

"No, it's fine," Catarina replied, too scared to fight the situation. The redhead walked out the door, gently closing it behind her. Feeling guilty, Tori stood up, preparing to go and help her friend.

"Mommy, no! Please!" Cat begged, sounding scared and extremely upset. "No! Please, I'm sorry." Victoria started to walk, but a sudden flash of blinding white light stopped her dead in her tracks. Her parents were doubled over on her couch, crying in agony and shame. Darkness and screams soon filled the girl's ears, engulfing her in her darkest fears; failure and causing more lives to be lost. Falling back on Cat's bed, Tori was helpless.

Finding herself sitting atop the bed, Victoria saw Cat walk into her bedroom in a weak walk. Tori's jaw dropped at what she saw; Cat's hair had been cut in a pixie style, leaving her long, beautiful red hair ravaged. "Cat..." the brunette gasped. "Did she do that to you?" Unable to talk, Catarina nodded, trying to hold back her shattered, shamed tears. Wracked with sorrow and guilt, Tori wrapped her arms around her friend, letting her cry into her shoulder.

Cat's hair was her pride and joy; she'd dyed it herself, trying to make her mom happy by displaying the color of their favorite desert; red velvet cupcakes. To see it hacked into a style that was barely effeminate was worse than anything Cat had suffered through before. "Do you wanna stay at my house tonight?" Tori offered, just wanting her friend to get away from her horrid mother. The little redhead nodded, her eyes tightly closed. It was so painful; no one deserved to be treated like this, especially not Cat.

"I'm so sorry," Cat whispered, holding back new tears.

"Think nothing of it, Miss Catarina," Alfred happily replied. "I am more than happy to help one of Miss Victoria's friends. If you should need anything, I will see to it in an instant."

"Thank you," the redheaded girl whispered before leaning into Tori's shoulder to cry again. The brunette put her arm around Cat's shoulder, trying to ease her pain.

"You don't have to live with that," Tori whispered, some of her anger showing. "You're too sweet for that." The girl soon began to feel an ache in her throat. Looking around for a nervous second, Tori finally leaned her head down, and kissed Cat's smooth, red hair, never wanting her to hurt again. Alfred glanced back for a second, and felt himself lose some happiness.

Wading her way through the raw sewage, Paige searched for any sign of life to haunt. Hopefully, the rumors she heard were true, and the perfect victim would be waiting for her like a trapped insect in a spider's web. Clad in her torn Scarecrow costume, the girl glared onward, almost tasting her sweet, fearful little boy. Walking, Paige could hear her feet slush through the waste, listening to every drop hit the hard floor. Soon, the teenager found him; "I've been looking for you," she said, gazing at the green, scaled back of the boy.

"I love you," Jade confessed, stroking Beck's hair in his sleep. However, Tori was the only thing in the boy's tormented mind. Her long, beautiful hair, her sweet, smiling, loving lips, and the innocence that made him weak.

Tori lay awake in her bed, listening to Cat sleep like a baby. _Thank Heaven you're safe_, Victoria thought. Gently, the teenager pulled the covers over her friend's shoulders.

_Clouds with rage on. Storms will race in._

Alfred sat on the couch, letting his right hand support his head as he fought off depression.

_But you will be safe...In my arms._

Katrina watched Tori and Cat sleep; maybe they were at peace at last.

_Rains will pour down. Waves will crash around._

A tear slid down Beck's warm cheek as Jade lay asleep next to him in the cold hospital bed.

_But you will be safe...In my arms._

"It'll be okay, darling," Jim told his infant daughter, gently rubbing her back in her crib. "I promise..."

After a long night that left so many hurt and wandering, reports began to go out about several murders; all the victims were found severely mutilated and deeply gored. Many believed the assailant to be a wild animal, possibly an alligator that got loose in the sewer.

"I have to check it out," Tori regretfully informed Alfred once the sun set over the horizon. "Are Cat and Trina asleep?"

"Yes," the Englishman answered. "But whatever is responsible for the murders isn't...Since I knew I couldn't talk you out of going, I took the liberty of modifying your spine guard. It's sitting in your closet now."

A smile formed on the teenager's face. "Thank you, Alfred," she said. The Batsuit was laced with glowing red veins. The cape had been laced with solid lead, and claws had been added to the gloves for an added defense.

"Please be careful," Alfred pleaded, praying everything would be okay.

"As long as people count on me," Batwoman answered before leaping out of the window, gliding through the darkening sky. Several people saw The Bat tear through the air, heading for a manhole cover.

"Stop that thing, Bats!" someone yelled. Tori hit the ground, tore the cover off, and jumped into the dark tunnel.

"Have you arrived?" Alfred asked over the communicator.

"Yeah," Batwoman answered. "No sign of it yet...but that could change really soon. I'd better keep quiet." The girl hung up, and slowly proceeded through the sea of waste. Thanks to the enhancing veins in the suit, Tori's frailed bones would be safe. However, her mind was still shaken from the drug. Alfred knew that, and was trying to identify the poison, but to no avail.

A moaning sound came from behind the teenager, causing her to quickly turn back. Seeing nothing, the girl calmed her heart, and kept on, looking side to side every second. A flash of light tore through the shadows in the tunnel to Tori's right, causing her to gasp loudly. _These illusions are getting worse, _Batwoman thought to herself, taking several shaky, deep breaths. _I have to find that freak and get a cure._

A loud, deep, gruff scream tore through the entire sewer, shattering Tori's concentration. Suddenly, the girl felt an immense mass smash into her at a vicious speed, sending her splashing into the sewage. "Ah," Batwoman exclaimed, lifting herself up.

Letting out a menacing cry, a tall, muscular, green monster glared at Tori with red eyes. Its teeth were razor sharp and lightly coated with blood.

"...Sinjin?" Batwoman asked, taken back. "W-...what happened to you?"

Sinjin hollered with all his might, charging at the horrific bat-creature that mocked him with a screeching laugh. Batwoman lept into the air, grabbing a pipe, and pulled her legs to her chest, dodging the behemoth. "Sinjin, I'm your friend!" the girl gruffly yelled out, listening to the boy's vicious breatihing. "Whatever's happened, you can get help."

"Stop it!" Sinjin demanded, slashing his claws against the brick wall, leaving a deep scratch. "You know no one can help me! I'm gonna be a freak forever!" The teenager lept into the air, grabbed Tori, and thrust himself down into the water. Batwoman tried to pull her head above the waste, only to have it grabbed by Sinjin. "They won't stop making fun of me," he snarled. "I'll eat you like a piece of chicken!"

"This isn't you..." Batwoman growled, trying to keep her head up. "Please...if I hurt you, I'm sorry."

"No you're not," Sinjin replied, seeing everything in blurry, red flashes. "You just wanna hurt me." With a hideous snarl, the boy forced Victoria's head into the slime, refusing to let go. Out of gasping desperation, Batwoman slashed Sinjin across the arm, causing a gash of red blood to spurt out. However, the reptilian boy persisted, starting to foam at the mouth.

"Stop it!" Batwoman hollered, feeling her throat start to throb. "I don't wanna hurt you, but you're not giving me a choice."

"Is that what you tell yourself?" asked a haunting voice. "Is that why you keep coming back? So you can keep hurting people, then blame them for it all?" Scarecrow walked out of the darkness, wearing a metal glove with needles for fingers. "Admit it...you love it...the blood, the screams...the fear. It all makes you feel like a god."

Batwoman struggled to grab something out of her utility belt, found it, and chucked it into the air. With a loud pop, a capsule exploded, covering Sinjin's eyes with smoke, forcing him to relent. Tori jumped away from the beast, and tackled Paige. "You did something to me!" she snarled, pressing the villain against a damp, cold wall. "Making me see visions!"

"Or maybe you did all this to yourself," Scarecrow replied, drowning in dark pleasure. "How does that feel?" With a flash of rage, Tori thrust her fist into Paige's covered face, knocking her into the brick wall with a loud thud.

"What did you do to Sinjin?" Batwoman demanded, her voice like an angry leopard.

"Nothing but make him see his fears, which seem to be real," Paige answered, recovering from the impact.

"Give me the cure!" Tori demanded, growing furious and emotionally torn.

"It's too late," Scarecrow happily replied. "The toxin's starting to get at your mind...driving you into a rampage. Just like him..." Sinjin tried to get to his feet, only to fall into the sewage. "Here...not that you'll ever be normal." Maybe out of some sick joke, the girl dropped a vile on the ground, letting it shatter, draining its content into the flowing bile.

"Big mistake!" Batwoman cried, throwing Scarecrow into the water. "Oh..." Paige gasped, finding the glove driven into her abdomen. Looking up, the girl winced, looking at Tori with weak eyes.

"How does it feel?" Batwoman asked, her voice deep, ghostly, and echoing with a dark undertone. "Do I scare you now?" The rough, rubbery, black face of a bat monster glared into Paige's soul. Millions of dripping insects crawled around the girl's face, making her pointed ears twitch. Drool dripped onto Scarecrow's face, planting the seeds of more insects that soon began swarming on her.

"Ah!" Paige screamed, sounding like the scared child she truly was. "Here! Make it stop!" The girl threw another vile at Tori, which she caught, and drank half of. The brunette walked over to Sinjin, and poured the drink down his throat.

"Here," Tori whispered. "This'll make everything better." Feeling his pulse drop back to normal, the lizard relaxed his bulky shoulders, letting out a relieved sigh.

"Thank you," Sinjin said, falling on his side in a fetal position. "But you're wrong...it'll never get better." Batwoman dropped her head, disappointed with everything.

Paige sat alone in her cell, looking all around her and letting out several scared shrieks. Her teeth clattering and cold sweat trickling down her forehead and back, the girl hoped that the guards wouldn't leave her alone. Everything was so scary. Everything was a threat.

Sinjin sat alone in a reinforced cell covered with rubber to prevent him from escaping or hurting himself. Food was served to him through a metal slot, not that he ate all that much anymore.

Beck lay in his bed, barely moving. Cat and Tori hugged one another, knowing they had peace together. Katrina slept alone, letting out deep breaths. Alfred, knowing Tori could handle herself from now on, found himself at peace once again. Cat would return to her mother in several days, take whatever punishment she was given, and move on. Victoria knew she couldn't change that; Batwoman could only handle penny thugs on the streets. Maybe that was enough for the people, though. Tori held Catarina a little tighter, never wanting to let her go into the cold world again.

_Song lyrics from In My Arms by Plumb. The haircut scene was based off something in my life._


	7. Night of Aftermath

Batwoman: Victorious

Chapter Six: Night of Aftermath

Looking at the boy she once had faith and pride in through a thick shield of glass, the blond teenager tried to fight off disappointed tears. Chase had so much in front of him; good education, a compassionate attitude, and a decent career as a boxer with other opportunities to fall back on. Her blond hair draped over her shoulders in the dark, dank prison, a girl named Zoey Brooks held the cold black telephone to her ear, looking straight ahead at her friend. "You were a monster," she said, her voice laced with shame and anger. "You put women and children in the hospital."

"I'm sorry," Chase replied, not able to look at the one he called his friend for years.

"That's not good enough," the girl shot down. "Tell me why you did it."

"...I needed it," Chase answered, feeling an agonizing lump swell in his throat.

"What?" Zoey asked, not showing much patience.

"The Venom," the boy answered, feeling disgusted with himself. "Coach gave it to me one day...and I needed more. I couldn't sleep, I didn't want to eat...But maybe I was an animal before then...I almost killed that kid I sparred with every day."

"This isn't like you," Zoey scolded the teenager. "You're not like the kid I went to PCA with...What changed?"

"...I don't know," the curly-haired teenager croaked out, barely able to hold his phone anymore.

"Neither do I," Zoey said before hanging up the phone, and walking out of Arkham Asylum. Chase dropped the phone, lay his head down on the table before him, and cried to himself as the cuffs chafed his arms and legs. A police officer put his hand on the boy's shoulder, letting him know it was time for him to go.

Cat sat outside Robbie's cell, looking at him and Rex through cold, rusted metal bars. "Why'd you do it, Robbie?" she asked, her voice gentle. "You're not a bad kid."

"Rex told me to," Robbie answered, sounding distraught. "He knows what's right for me."

"Then why are you in prison?" Cat asked, growing upset. "That doesn't seem right...You don't want to hurt people like that."

"I don't feel like talking," Robbie said, turning away from his old friend. "**Maybe you should get out of here,**" Rex said, his voice cold and nasty as usual. Sniffling and holding back tears, Catarina got up and walked out of the room, leaving Robbie alone.

"You doing okay?" Tori asked Sinjin, trying not to remember how savage he was that night.

"Don't pretend like you care," the reptilian boy shot back.

"I do care," Victoria replied. "You have friends...we don't care how you look."

"Well I do," Sinjin snarled. "I don't have a right to try to fit in now! Don't you get that? Just get out of here!" Realizing it was hopeless, the brunette stood up, and walked out of the room.

The three visitors met up in the main office. Tori and Cat walked each other to the car, not recognizing the blond girl. Once the two got outside, Alfred and Trina were waiting in a black Camero. The redhead hopped into the back seat, then let her friend in. "Thanks for going with me, Tori," Cat said.

"Any time, Kitten," Tori warmly replied. "How was Robbie doing?"

"Not good," the short-haired girl answered. "Thanks, Alfred...for driving us here."

"My pleasure, Miss Catarina," the Englishman happily said.

"Get any call-backs, sis?" Tori asked, hoping to lighten the mood.

"Not yet," Katrina answered. "Not many people are looking for singers for some reason. Oh hey, ready to go back to school tomorrow?"

"Yeah," the younger brunette happily answered. "Can't wait." Tori looked forward to seeing Mr. Sikowitz, Beck, and even Jade. Anything would be better than the institute.

The next morning, Cat looked in the mirror at her short red velvet hair, pulling the small bangs out of her face. _I wasn't that bad, Mommy, _she told herself, feeling the shame and anger sit within her. Running a small comb through her neatly butchered locks, Cat tried not to cry anymore. It was more than just her hair; it was an expression of herself...and now a reminder of her mother's hatred towards her.

Beck stood still, his eyes closed as the beads of water poured down on his muscular chest. The steam blurred out his fears and stress. He could never forget that nightmare; how close he'd come to breaking down again. Thank heaven Jade was there to carry him through it...Jade and Batwoman. Suddenly, the phone rang. Beck wrapped a towel around his waste, and picked up the wall phone. "Hey, baby," Jade's voice greeted. "How we doing this morning?"

"Been better," the young man answered with a smile on his face. "Can't wait to see you today." Jadeyn gently stroked the soft fur on the kitten that rested on her lap with its little eyes closed. "Can't wait to see you either," she replied. "I'll drive you to school. How's that?...Great. See you in five, sexy." The teenager hung up the phone, tightly closed her eyes, and gave her little baby an Escimo kiss before setting him down with Scruff and Miss Puddy.

Hollywood Arts was shrouded in a light cloud of Los Angeles-esque shade that morning. No one would have it any other way right now. Cat wore a pink hoodie for most of the day, telling teachers it was a way of expressing herself (even though it was to hide herself). Jade and Beck kissed one another, feeling at peace in a safe place. Tori and Andre' were talking near Tori's blue locker, which had "Make It Shine" rhinestoned on it above the portrait of a big city's skyline.

"I'm glad you're back, Tores," the African American teenanger said, his voice warm.

"Same here," Tori replied, closing her locker. "Thanks, Andre'." The two shared a bried hug, then parted to their classes. Beck couldn't help but notice, and felt himself fade out of his kiss with Jade.

"What's wrong?" Jade asked, her voice weak.

"...Nothing," the long-haired teenager lied, looking at the floor. Looking at his girlfriend, Beck found himself mentally transforming her into Tori; her hair growing longer and turning a shining brown color. Her face growing more thin and tan, and her clothing melted into that long dress he saw Victoria wear in those dream. A tear slid down his cheek, though he thought he could hide it.

"It'll be okay," Jade whispered, gently stroking her boyfriend's cheek, as if she could take the pain away. Feeling so weak he could fall, Beck set his hand in Jade's dark hair, and tried to fall in love with her again. Suddenly, she started to cough again.

"Are you okay?" Beck asked, starting to find emotion again.

"It's..." the girl managed to say between coughs that were growing more and more violent. "Nothing..." Finally, she couldn't control herself, and the hacking became vicious. Jade doubled over, trying not to vomit. Tears began to well up in her eyes as her desperation grew.

"Jade!" Cat screeched, running over with Tori and Andre'. Covering her mouth, Jade could see those who were close to friends with her surround her. Suddenly, everything went black.

"I can't lose her!" Beck screamed, his pulse spiking viciously.

"You're not gonna lose her," Tori replied. "She's gonna be okay...Cat, get NorthStar!" The redhead hit hte designated emergency button on her cell phone.

Jade lay still, her eyes closed and her face fallen into a solemn form as her hair was wildly scattered on the gurney. Lights buzzed and weakly flashed above the girl in that cold, sterile hospital. Beck was hysteric, but managed to be calmed with the help of a sedative.

Cat gazed at her oldest friend, her eyes beattie and weak under the glow of those lights. Her short hair blew in an artificial breeze as Jade was pushed into the E.R. _I should've known she was sick, _Cat thought, fighting back tears. Tori put her hand on the redhead's shoulder as Andre' held onto her back. Beck spent every waking moment next to his beloved girlfriend. All of the teenagers did. Come midnight that same night, Alfred and Trina arrived to comfort the others. Katrina had been on a field trip, but was just as hurt as everyone else about Jade.

"I'm sorry," a nice but frazzled nurse said. "You have to leave. You can come back in about half an hour." Beck had to be forcibly escorted, and was soon admitted to the hospital as well.

"Would you like to get some sleep, Miss Victoria?" Alfred asked, having the best of intentions.

"...I really don't wanna leave her," Tori replied, her voice grave. "I know she hates me...but I've gotta see this through. Thanks, guys." Sitting alone in that dark hallway, waiting for Cat or Andre' to come back, Victoria prayed for Jade.

Suddenly, the sound of foot steps broke the teenager's concentration. Looking up slowly, Tori saw a face...A face from that part of her past she never wanted to experience again. For a second, the man looked at the girl, seeming to remember her, then walked into Jade's room.

"What are you doing here?" Tori demanded, standing in the doorway. "What do you want with her?"

"I want to make her well," the man answered, his voice as vacant of emotion as ever.

"She doesn't need what you have to give," the brunette snarled. "You only want to help yourself...What's in this for you Ra's? Another soul to corrupt...more money for your estate?"

"...As always, I question your motives, young Victoria," the man replied, his voice so cold and vampiric. "Are you defending this girl for her good... Or do you merely wish to be the only power in the lives of your so-called friends?"

"Don't pretend like you understand me," Tori fought back. "Nothing you do has ever been for anyone's good. That's why The League of Shadows fell."

"...My allies will never fall, young one," Ra's replied. "There will always be those who follow my ideals...I may be looking at one at this moment." Tori clenched her fists in an attempt to control her rage. "The choice will be yours, Victoria...I will give Jadeyn the cure for her disease, but will take refuge with her...Or I will leave her in the hands of these doctors. What do you choose?"

"...Get the hell out of here," Victoria decided. "And know that when I find the grounds...I will take you in." Ra's smlied, and quietly departed from the room. _The thing I learned from being Batwoman...is that you never look back, _Tori told herself. _My life is devoted to justice...at all costs._ Tori fell on Jade's bed, her face resting in the sheets covering her. Tears began to stream from her eyes, soaking the white covers. "You have to be okay," Victoria whispered. The room was cold; still. Night was in its darkest, and there seemed to be no solace from loved ones.

"Don't let her go," said a familiar voice. Tori looked behind her, no longer trying to hide her tear stains. His long hair flowing with every step, Beck walked over to his lover. "She means the world to me..."

"I know she does," Tori replied, stroking Jade's soft hand. "And I know you mean even more to her."

"I don't think I deserve her, though," Beck said, his voice sinking. Brushing the bangs out of her face, the boy looked at Jade's beautiful face, which she rarely showed anymore. "...I'm not loyal."

"What do you mean?" Tori asked, growing uneasy.

"There's another girl I feel like I want to be with," the boy finally confessed. "I'm a monster..."

"No you're not," the brunette argued, trying to keep her voice hushed. "You're just scared...The thing is, you need Jade right now, and she needs you."

"She used to comfort me...But I don't feel like she's even here anymore," Beck continued, feeling tears form in his eyes. "I wish I could just...make it all stop...hold her forever and never let go."

Tori touched the boy's arm, desperate to offer him comfort. "It'll be okay," she promised. "She's gonna wake up soon, and you two won't have to be apart ever again."

"She's dying, though," Beck replied. "They said she has McGregor Syndrome...No one's lived through that." Tori wrapped her arms around Beck, her breath heavy with sorrow.

"There's always a chance," the girl said. Beck leaned his head down on Tori's shoulder, letting his tears fall onto her. With a loud snuff, the young man lost all composure, and let Tori comfort him. Jade rocked back and forth in her sleep as her lover finally found peace within himself, even as a war erupted inside. Rain began to pour outside, and a swarm of bats flew above the hospital as a bolt of lightning disturbed them.


	8. Bat's Prey

Batwoman: Victorious

Chapter Seven: Bat's Prey

Beck gently stroked Jade's hair as she lay in her sterile hospital gown on yet another dark night. Maybe she would wake up today, but maybe not. Tears blurred over the boy's eyes as he focused on his mistakes; How could he be unloyal to Jade, especially at a time like this? What was it about Tori that obsessed him? It was wrong; dishonest, almost barbaric. Beck stared at his girlfriend's closed eyes, wishing he could take all this away from her; wishing she could wake up, be herself again...and take all this pain and fear away. Another cold wind wailed outside the window, making the building seem to shutter. "I promise..." the young man winced, taking Jade's cool hand in his. "I'm gonna get you through this." Beck leaned down, and kissed the girl on her forehead. Jade was never helpless; never weak. Now, she was struggling on the brink of death, waiting for Beck to save her from it all.

Tori sat on her couch, thinking over everything; _What kind of hero am I if I can't even help my friends? _she asked herself. _Jade's dying, and I'm not even lifting a finger...What can I do, though?_ _Anything that maniac would do could ruin Jade...But what if he's our only hope?...No. Ra's can't be the only one out there._ The door bell rang, breaking the girl out of her concentration. Tori opened the door, and saw Cat standing under the yard light. "Hey, Kitty," she said, looking at her friend's short red hair blowing under the cold wind of the night. "Come in."

Cat said nothing, and took a seat on the couch next to Victoria. "Thanks," she said, her sweet voice sounding timid. "Hey, can I use some hair dye?"

"What? Why?" the brunette asked, caught off guard.

"I just can't go around with this mangled hair anymore," the redhead answered. "It just keeps reminding me of how my mom ruined things for me... I have to make an expression out of this, you know?"

"...Sure thing, Kitten," Tori replied. "Trina keeps some dye in the bathroom cabinet near the sink. Let me know if you need me." Cat gave the brunette a hug, then walked off. Sitting down, Victoria looked down at her hands. "...Please let Jade be okay," she prayed.

Beck stroked the hairs out of Jade's face as she slept. The night was so cold. Suddenly, the young woman winced back alittle. Opening her eyes, Jade looked up at her boyfriend. "B-Beck?" she said, her voice weak and tired.

Smiling, Beck wrapped his arms around his lover, never wanting to let her go again. "Oh my gosh," he said, his voice warm and trembling. "You're alright...I love you." The dark-haired boy held Jade close to his chest, feeling so at peace just to be with her again. Closing her eyes, the young woman let herself warm in Beck's comforting grasp.

"I had a dream last night," the dark-haired girl managed to whisper, her voice weak. "...And I woke up and saw you were there." Beck embraced his girlfriend again, not daring to look her in the face. "Thanks for...staying with me." Her breath was so weak she could barely talk.

Tori sat on the couch, watching the clock tick itself away. Cat had been taking a long time, but this was something important to her. The thought of having to display a punishment like that would be horrible. Cat didn't deserve it; no one did, especially not her. Seeing her friend running so happy, so innocent, so loving, and so sweet; her long red hair flowing free in the breeze. All that was gone, though. This had hurt Cat in so many ways; her image, her confidence, and even her overall feeling of safety and security.

Finally, the door opened, and Catarina walked out. Her hair was short, as her mother had left it, and now jet black with subtle streaks of almost-invisible red coursing through it. That deep, curious look glimmered in her eyes, but she was not quite the same. She had changed herself...No, the world had changed her; it chewed her up and spit her into the garbage just for being herself. Now, she was fighting back. "What do you think?" she asked her closest friend.

"...You look beautiful," Victoria answered. The two hugged, as they did before Cat was violated so horribly.

"Thanks, Tori," Cat replied, her voice timid. Trina watched the two from the top of the staircase.

Standing atop the top of a large building, letting the breeze of the night sharpen her senses, Batwoman took in the light of the moon. Her eyes tight, the young woman scanned the city for any sign of trouble. Cat was sound asleep and under Trina and Alfred's care, leaving Tori to continue doing the only thing she felt she could do right.

Soaring through the night, The Bat watched the buildings flash by around her black wings. Out of the corner of her eye, Tori caught Jade and Beck through the window of the hospital. Suddenly deploying a grappling hook, Batwoman pulled herself up to their room. Shocked, Beck jumped back, but regained his composure. "Everything okay now?" she asked, trying to disguise her voice.

"Yeah," Beck answered, somewhat uneasy. "...Thanks, Batwoman."

Jade looked at the eerie figure outside her hospital window. "...You saved Beck not that long ago," she said, her voice weak. "...Thanks."

"It's what I do," Tori happily replied. With that, Batwoman dove from the window, gliding through the night. A ringing sound broke the teenager's concentration. Landing on a nearby rooftop, Tori pulled out her cell phone from her utility belt, and saw Andre's name on it. "Andre'," the girl greeted in her normal voice. "What's up?"

"I just wanted to see if everything was alright," the young man answered from a pay phone. "Thing's have been kind of weird lately."

"Oh, yeah," Tori happily replied. "Everything's starting to look up...Thanks."

Later that night, Victoria put in several calls to Vega Enterprise. Finally, she found what she was looking for... "His name is doctor Victor Fries," Tori declared after waking Cat up. "He's an expert on McGregor Syndrome."

"That's great," the black-haired girl replied, her voice still weak. "Is he gonna help Jade?"

"He should," the brunette answered. "...I just hope Beck and Jade'll accept my paying for him."

The next day, Tori and Cat went to the hospital, hoping to find Jade and Beck. However, only Jade was there; having forced Beck to go home and get some sleep. "Hi, Jade," Cat happily greeted her friend.

"Hey, Kitten," Jade replied with a smile. "Whoa...nice hair."

"Thanks," Catarina said. "Tori helped me with it."

"How you feeling?" Tori asked the girl she soon hoped to be friends with.

"Better," Jade answered, managing to move into a sitting position. "...Thanks."

"Tori found someone who can help," the black-haired teenager blurted out, not meaning to mess things up.

"Cat," Tori scolded. "Um...his name's Victor Fries...Someone from my dad's business recommended him..." Jade didn't say anything. "...Cat and I really care about you...Do you want me to call him?"

"...Okay," the semi-Gothic girl gave in. "How much is he charging?"

"I'll pay for it all," Tori replied. "Vega Enterprise has amazing medical insurance...and I really want you to get better."

"...I don't need charity," Jade answered, just as Tori feared.

"It's not charity," the brunette argued. "This is a friend helping a friend. Please, Jade..."

"...Fine," Jade agreed. "...Thanks, Vega." Cat and Tori gave their friend a loving hug. Looking up, Jade began to worry, despite her faux happiness. _I can't even pay for this hospital..._

Knowing this awful truth, Becks sat alone in his trailor, staring at the wall, and thinking deeply. Jade was the best thing that had ever happened to him, and he loved her so dearly; they had to be together, for their own sakes. _I'm losing her, _he told himself. _If she dies...it's all my fault. _Remembering back, the young man recalled how he always used to ride Jade on the stupid, little mistakes she made; she didn't do enough nice things for him, she was caddy to some Northridge tramps who were hitting on him, or something else she didn't deserve. Tears welled up and burned Beck's eyes. "I can't believe how horribly I treated her," he choked out. The hours slipped by like seconds drowning underwater. Darkness finally fell over the city, and Beck stood up. Desperation and guilt filled his mind.

Meanwhile, Cat and Jade were working on paper dolls. Tori was currently in the cafeteria, letting the two best friends get caught up. Suddenly, her phone rang; it was Alfred. "I'm sorry to interrupt your visit, Miss Tori," the Englishman said. "But there has just been a bank robbery roughly one block from the hospital."

"Thanks, Alfred," Tori replied, hanging up the phone. After bidding farewell to her friends, claiming Trina needed her for something, Tori left the hospital, dawned her emergency Batsuit (which had been repaired since her battle with Chase), and headed for the siren of a robbed bank.

A man with a black suit, a red cape, and cowl on charged out of the bank, holding a stack of bills under his arm. Looking up at Batwoman, the thief didn't respond.

"Just put it down," Tori ordered, her voice gruff and terrifying.

"...I can't," the red hooded figure replied, his voice rough. Batwoman felt herself hurt alittle, then dove down at him. Quickly, the thief threw himself to the side, and charged out of the bank. Tori ran out, only to find no trace of the criminal.

Sirens began to sound, and an African American police officer ran out. "What was that?" he demanded.

"Some kid in a sheet," Batwoman answered.

"...Just get outta here," the officer replied, disgusted. Tori pulled out a grappling gun, shot it, and slid onto the building above her. Glaring down at the darkened city, Batwoman tightened her eyes. _Who was that? _she wondered. _I just hope they stop that kid before he hurts anyone...including himself._

After her return to the hospital and parting from Jade, Tori walked Cat back to the Valentine house. "You sure you wanna go home?" the brunette asked.

"...Yeah," Cat answered. "Thanks for taking care of me, Tori." The raven-haired girl hugged her friend, then walked up to her door.

"...Love you, Kitten," Tori said before walking off into the night. However, even with Cat's returning to her horrid home, the girl's mind was locked onto the red hooded-thief.

"I'd like to give this money for my girlfriend...Jade West," Beck said, nervously paying the woman at the counter. "...Make sure she's alright."

"Yes, sir," the woman replied. With that, the shaking, sweaty boy walked out of the hospital and into the darkness.

"Check this out, Alfred," Tori said, holding up a yellow device with a glowing black bat on its center screen.

"What is that, Miss Tori?" the butler asked, totally baffled.

"I call it the Bat-Wave," Victoria answered. "Look." Pressing down on the screen, the bat's center glowed yellow, then spread into yellow-turning-orange bars to its sides until the bat was completely illuminated. The procedure repeated itself. "It came to me with that bank robbery tonight..." Alfred stared at the machine. "I can't rely on being at the right place at the right time...The Bat-Wave taps into every siren and silent alarm in the city...acting as a sonar for crime. What do you think?"

"...Ingenious," the Englishman exclaimed. "May I add some other functions should the need arise?"

"Go for it," Tori answered, handing her father figure the Bat-Wave. "And...thanks." Alfred smiled at his friend, then began examining the device.


	9. Bat in the Belfry

Batwoman: Victorious

Chapter Eight: Bat in the Belfry

Beck sat by Jade's hospital bedside, his eyes so worn, and his body so weak. "You know I love you," he mumbled out, barely able to speak. It was as if forcing himself to be with Jade would erase his feelings for Tori.

"I know you do," the dark-haired girl replied, her eyes encircled with dark bags. "And I love you...I always will."

"Excuse me," said a male nurse wearing an aqua-colored scrub. "Miss West...pending Doctor Fries' agreeing to care for you, you are free to go tomorrow."

"Ah, that's great," Jade said, feeling a burst of energy.

"That's awesome!" Beck exclaimed. The dark-haired boy wrapped his arms around his girlfriend, so deeply desiring to love her again. "I know you're gonna be okay soon."

"Excuse me, Mister Oliver...can I see you in the hallway for a second?" the nurse asked. Beck followed the man out and into the hall. "You are currently handling her funds?"

"Yes," Beck whispered, not daring to let Jade know the secrets; the fact that he was her almost sole support, or that her parents were unable to pay for her medical expences.

"She has completed her treatment, but the costs are still massive," the young man informed the teenager. "I don't mean to rush you...but these bills can add up quickly. Do you have any financial support?"

"No, they told me I'm not eligible," Beck answered, feeling his stomach twist into a sick knot. "But I...I will be able to pay for it soon."

Feeling dizzy, the Canadian teen walked back into his lover's room. "What was that about?" she asked, somewhat concerned.

"Just some basic advice," Beck lied effortlessly. "...I love you. You know that?"

"Yes, I do," Jade answered, giving her boyfriend a hug. "And I love you...I don't think I could've gotten better without you." That sentence struck more guilt into Beck's heart than anything before.

Meanwhile, in the darkness of the night, Batwoman stood in the shadows of an alley, waiting for the Bat-Wave to sound. Her eyes tight and merciless, Tori continued looking for any sign of criminal activity. During brief moments, the girl felt herself drift off. The blast of a gun in the ears of a little girl awoke her every time. Finally, the vibration started, and she thrust herself into action like a bolt of lightning.

"Stop! I didn't do anything!" lied a man with a shattered beer bottle in his right hand, and a fistfull of money in the left. Batwoman thrust her fist into the man's face, knocking him onto the ground with a loud _thud_. For a second, the girl felt herself black out, and could tell she was thrashing the man.

"Stop it!" the man begged, breaking Tori's trance. Batwoman gently set the man down, gazing down at him while in the veil of her cape. Walking back into the darkness, the teenager let herself disappear into the night.

"I couldn't control myself," Tori confessed, not able to look at her doctor. "I was just...so angry."

The dramatic crimson colors of the sunset shined through the windows of the office, letting the breeze grace them with the feeling of summer. However, the colors bled into the darkness lurking within those under the sky.

"Still seeing your parents' killer?" Hugo Strange asked, not looking up from his clipboard.

"Yeah," the brunette answered. "I could smell his hot breath...hear the click of the gun when he loaded it...Then...I break down."

"...Do you have any activities to extinguish this aggression?" Strange asked.

"...I practice boxing sometimes," Victoria answered, remembering Raymond's training. "But...it doesn't bother me during the day...only when I'm... only at really intense times."

"...How do you percieve your anger?" the man asked, growing more interested by the second.

"...It's wrong, I guess," Tori answered, staring at the ceiling. "Right?"

"It will always be there," Strange explained. "...It's not a poison unless you let it become you. Learn to control your anger; channel it." The teenager listened, but knew she would never be able to take that advice; it was too much, too terrifying, too against everything she believed. She had to do away with her fury...But how could she when her entire persona was devoted to anger and vegeance? Anger was always a road she refused to make her path.

Resting on a metal perch in the darkness of the night, Batwoman pondered everything she was. _Anger._ Control it...Use it. Any time the subject of anger was brought up, Tori tried to deny it, throw it out. It was one of her darkest fears; becoming consumed. Maybe that's what got that slime that killed her parents in the first place.

"Are you sure there's no way to get financial aid with this?" Beck asked, growing uneasy. "How long until the deadline?...Okay. Yeah. Bye." The teenager hung up the phone, his stomach spiraling. Looking next to him, the dark-haired boy gently stroked Jade's hair while she slept. She was usually awake at this hour, but since being diagnosed, she seemed more tired; almost like an infant.

Listening to the electronic dialing, Beck swallowed hard. Raising her black, clawed hands to her masked ear, the girl touched a Bluetune in her ear. "Hello?" she greeted.

"Tori?" Beck asked.

"Yeah, hey," the brunette answered, bending down into a seated position, though remaining vigilant.

"Could you maybe come over?" Beck asked. "Jade's asleep, and I really need someone to talk to."

"Sure," Victoria answered. "I'll be over in a couple of minutes." _He's taking this really hard...better hurry before he does something stupid, _the girl thought.

About ten minutes later, Beck heard a knock on Jade's door, and answered it to see Tori. "Hi," she said, smiling as usual.

"Thanks for coming over," the dark-haired teenager said. "You wanna soda or something?"

"No, thanks," Tori answered, looking at Jade laying curled up on the couch with her eyes gently closed. "She looks cute."

"Yeah," Beck chuckled, touched by everything around him. The two sat down. "You know, the only time she ever fell asleep on one of our dates was after you two let that dog loose in my house."

Tori laughed, trying to stay quiet the whole time. "You know we didn't have it attack your dad, right?"

"Yeah," Beck answered. "That whole thing was so stupid. I didn't think Jade would take me back."

"She loves you, Beck," the brunette replied. "Of course she'd get back with you." Tori leaned back in the couch, and looked at Jade peacefully sleeping. "I'm really glad we're all...okay, you know?" Beck nodded, trying not to break down.

Jade rolled onto her side, curling around the inner pillows of the couch and gently mumbling. Tori and Beck chuckled at the cute sight. Suddenly, a creaking noise caught the teens' attention. Eva walked down, clad in her light blue night gown.

"Hey, kid," Beck greeted the younger girl, as he always did. "Whatter you doing up so late?"

"I wanted to say goodnight to Jade," Eva answered, walking over to her sister. Gently shaking her shoulder, the younger West girl watched her older sister slowly awake. "Hi, Jade."

"Hi, sweetie," Jade said, rubbing her tired eyes. "Oh...where'd you come from, Vega?"

"Beck wanted me to keep an eye on you for awhile," Tori answered. "I was kind of worried about you two..."

Moaning, the semi-Goth rose to her feet, gave her little sister a hug, then walked over to Beck. "Sorry for passing out...Love you, baby," she said, giving her lover a hug.

"Love you too, angel," Beck replied, wrapping his arms around his girlfriend.

"Love you too, Eva," Jade said, rubbing her sister's hair. "...Night, Tori." Tori waved to her friend.

"Well, I guess we'd better get going," Beck said, putting his hands in his jean pockets. "Night, Eva."

"Night, Beck," the girl replied. "Night, Batty."

Tori turned around suddenly. "What?" she asked, shocked.

"That's what Jade calls you," Eva said, giggling. "She said you're batty...I don't think she's right."

"Thanks, hun," Victoria said, smiling at the little girl. "Hope your sister gets well soon."

"Thank you," Eva replied with a humble smile. Despite her innocent, happy disposition, the little girl was growing more uneasy by the second; Jade was her life.

The Bat sat on the edge of the roof atop a massive sky scraper, letting the cold night's wind blow her cape. Every nerve iced over, Victoria focused only on herself; anger, fury, revenge...passion, regret...mercy for the innocent. What were her outbursts of rage doing for the innocent, though? _It will always be there..._

"Tori?" said a familiar voice, snapping the brunette out of her daze.

"Huh? What?" Tori nervously snapped out, looking up at Andre'.

"D-did you read that chapter?" Andre' asked, looking down at his book.

"Oh, yeah," Tori answered, pulling herself back to reality. "Sorry...I'm kind of out of it tonight." Sifting through the pages of her book, the brunette got herself caught up.

"That's okay," the African American boy happily replied. "I'm zoning out, too." The brunette looked around Andre's living room, which was very light and retro-contemporary in decoration.

"Thanks for having me over, Andre'," Tori said. "It's really nice hanging out with you again...things've been kind of weird lately."

"Thanks for actually coming," the young man replied. "Everyone's been tore up with Jade being sick...they're mostly keeping to themselves."

Meanwhile, Cat sat alone in her room, reading over some books she got when she was little. One was about a bunny rabbit walking through a field of flowers that only bloom at night. Happily kicking her feet back and forth, the young girl enjoyed the cute pictures and writing in her little book. Her mom had yelled at her the night she came home because of her hair, but Cat didn't let that bother her. Tori was a great friend for helping her, and that meant the world for the raven-haired teenager. Jade had called earlier, which brightenned Cat's day even more; Tori and Jade were her best friends, and being able to talk to both of them again was wonderful.

Beck lay awake in his bed, staring at the dark ceiling in his trailer, and thinking so deeply of Jade. _I owe so much money...can't tell her, _the young man thought to himself. Looking over at his bedside counter, Beck looked at the red sheet that stared back at him. It was all so wrong, but it needed to be done.

As the winds of the night grew colder, Batwoman awaited the Bat-Wave to summon her; in the meantime, she was meditating, her eyes closed. The gunshot erupted, and her parents fell to the ground in bloody death. Tori's eye tingled with a flash of pain, but remained closed. _I'm not an animal... I'm not one of them..._ The faces of vicious criminals, muderors, and thugs flashed within Tori's aching mind. _But I can't keep it all hidden..._ Waves of energy coursed through the small device in Batwoman's hand, diverting her attention. According to the Bat-Wave, there was a robbery on the other end of town at a local drug store. _...But I'm not one of them, _Tori tried to assure herself, leaping into the flashes flowed within the girl's head, trying to make her rabid.

Her long black cape blowing like the waves of an ocean, Tori continued to flow with the violent wind around her. Smashing through the window of the store, Batwoman dropped to her knees while veiled under her "wings". A vicious scowl enblazen on her face, Tori slowly, frightfully rose to her feet. "You again," she said, looking at the red-hooded thief standing before her once again.

"I don't wanna do this," the man replied, his voice gruff. "Trust me, it'll all be over soon."

"Once I lock you away in Arkham," Tori replied. "It never ends that easily...crime is like a drug."

"Not my drug of choice, but it's the only way," the red-hooded man shot back before lunging back and running out of the store. Her blood spiking with burning fury, Batwoman gave chase. The thief rammed into a shelf, knocking hundreds of bottles onto the floor and making Tori briefly lose her bearings. However, the young woman quickly recovered and clawed at the criminal, only to slash the air. Suddenly, Batwoman stopped cold, her breath heavy and her pulse racing. _What am I? _she asked herself, looking at her clawed hands.

"Please!" Tori pleaded. "Just drop the money...it's not worth it!" The young man continued running, and soon disappeared into the night. Frozen in her own self-hatred, Batwoman dropped her head, and stepped back into the shadows.

"I couldn't believe what I was becoming," the brunette told Alfred, holding back tears. "I was like a monster..."

"You are only what you choose to be, Miss Victoria," the Englishman calmly replied. "You are trying to do what is right...but you mustn't forget that the end rarely justifies the means...I trust you."

"Thanks, Alfred," Tori replied, taking little comfort. "Strange told me...my anger will always be there...that I has to learn to live with it. I don't think I can...but I can't just take it out on petty thugs."

"Maybe you can use your anger...learn to control it," Alfred suggested. "Let Tori Vega's judgement lead the Batwoman."

"That's just what the doctor said," the brunette said, staring at the floor with weak, watering eyes. "But I just don't know how..."

"First, you must control yourself," Alfred informed his friend. "Channel your anger...then put it to rest once the job is done. It will get easier if you want it enough." Tori smiled, then gave her beloved butler a hug.

Trina lay silently in her bed, rolling to her side occasionally. Suddenly, she felt something grab her, and woke up shrieking. "Hey, sleepy head," Tori greeted her older sister with a smile.

"What are you doing?" Katrina asked, rubbing her tired, puffy eyes.

"I felt bad for not catching you before you went to bed," the younger brunette answered. Trina chuckled, then gave her little sister a hug. Soon, the hug turned into a little wrestling match, just like when they were kids; before the anger.

Meanwhile, Beck lay on his back, his body coated with icey sweat as he clenched his sheets. Jade lay still, dead tired and waiting to talk to Beck again. Andre' pictured him and Tori understanding one another in his sleep, knowing it wouldn't last beyond that. Above the city, a swarm of bats flew among the black clouds.


	10. Darkness

Batwoman: Victorious

Chapter Nine: Darkness

Chase tightly held his eyes closed as he rolled onto his side atop the small prison bed in The Asylum. His forehead drenched in sweat and his pulse racing like a rabid dog, the teenager's body viciously craved Venom. For so long, he swore he'd never touch it again; for himself, for Zoey, for everything. He was an animal when he used Venom...but he felt so amazing; everything felt right and almost like he was in control when Venom was coursing through his veins. Times were tough. Nights were filled with chills, intense sweating, night terrors, and the fear of relapsing. But he would suffer for Zoey. Rain poured onto the windows allowed for the prisoners within their red-colored cages. Clenching his sheets, Chase tightened his teeth as his body surged with agony.

"You're thirsty...I know," a comforting voice said.

"Who is that?" the young man asked, not moving from his desperate position. "If you're the old man, get the hell outta here."

"I'm not..." the man answered. "I'm a friend...you need Venom, don't you?"

"I don't want it," Chase snarled.

"You don't think the police care about you, do you?" the man asked, his tone persistent. "Or your little girlfriend? Last I checked, she wanted nothing to do with you." Chase remained half-asleep. "I can give you all the Venom you want...I won't leave you like those others did...Above all, I can get you out of here." The room fell to silence. Maybe Zoey was only interested on a trial basis. Maybe the pain wasn't worth it...

Tori, Andre', Cat, and Trina sat in the Vegas' living room, looking over the cards in their hands. Andre' glanced over at the red-haired girl, who gave a sneaky look to Trina. "You guys have no idea what you've gotten into," Victoria warned.

"We knew long ago," Katrina gravely replied. Alfred passed by, giving a concerned glance at the children.

"This is gonna change everything..." Tori warned. The teen threw down her second to last card. "Uno!"

"Dah!" Andre' yelled. "So close!" Bursting into laughter, the teens looked at one another.

"This is so nice," Cat said, her voice sweet and innocent. "We should hang out more often."

"Yeah," Tori replied. Suddenly, a buzzing sound interrupted the conversation. "Sorry, this might be important." The brunette left the room.

"Maybe this is why we're not together as often," an upset Catarina said, staring down at her hand.

"She's not doing it on purpose, Little Red," Andre' comforted his friend. "It might be a relative...Tori cares about you...she'd be with us if she could." Hearing this, Alfred dropped his head slightly, then left the room to see his charge viewing the Bat-Wave.

"Break in down the block from Arkham," the brunette said, not looking up from her hand-held device. "Could be an inmate escaping."

"You do have friends waiting," the Englishman replied. "Perhaps the authorities can handle this."

"...They never can," Tori sadly answered. "Besides, trafficking's been up lately; this might get ugly...I'll be back as soon as I can." After another lie to her sister and friends, the teenager rushed outside, dawned her emergency Batsuit, and stealthfully approached the scene of the crime. _With any luck, it'll be that kid with the hood, _Tori thought.

Arkham Asylum, said to be the center of terror and suffering in the entire western hemisphere. Constantly kept under lock and key by Amadeus Arkham, it was the eternal prison for all criminals and lowlifes. However, some had it within themselves to escape. Resting on top of a shattered street light, Tori watched the scene of the break-in. A figure shrouded in shadow walked into the alley, holding a large crate on its shoulder. In front of the two buildings were several injured men, showing signs of drug withdrawal.

Chase walked straight forward, carrying the crate his superior ordered him to deliver. "Going somewhere?" asked a gruff, smokey voice. Turning around, the Venom-enhanced thief saw none other than the young woman he had crippled. Recognizing the behemoth, Tori readied herself for a rematch.

"Hey, senorita," the young man mocking greeted, eager to attack. "Ready for me to break your other wing?" Chase charged forward, his bloodlust burning within his Venom-bloated veins. Batwoman lept into the air and slashed one of the tubes carrying the mutagenic fluid. The monstrous boy stopped dead in his tracks.

"I've made some upgrades to my suit," Batwoman proudly declared, shaking the ooze off her bladed gloves. "Wish I could say the same for you, Meatloaf."

"You don't have to," Chase growled, chucking a large box at the girl. "Your headstone'll explain it all." Due to the upgrades given by Chase's new push, Venom would be put into his body through various ports adapting to blockages or damages. Tori grunted in pain as she smashed into the brick wall behind her. As the behemoth rampaged onward, Batwoman lunged away from him, her boots gliding across the pavement.

"What got you back on the drug, Matthews?" Tori asked, maneuvering away from the criminal. "On top of that, who?" Ignoring the questions, Chase charged towards the vigilante once again. Ducking down to her back, Batwoman chucked a Batarang into the air, slashing into the Venom-distributing machine. Shifting her weight around, Tori wound up on her stomach, then lept into the air and onto the thug's back.

"Get off!" Chase screamed, feeling his heart rate double as he attempted to throw the pest off. Batwoman roughly wrapped her arms around the boy's neck, pressing into a pressure point she'd learned of in the League of Shadows. Chase began to slow down, starting to see double. Soon, the drug-powered criminal collapsed on the ground with a heavy impact. _He's just started back on the drug...system's not adjusted, pulse racing, _Tori diagnosed, studying the subject before her. Quickly taking a sample of Chase's blood, Batwoman poured it into a small vile, then glided into the night.

Their sirens squealing and their lights flashing, the police swarmed around the criminal. "Chase was just arrested," the man from Arkham informed his fellow agents. "The Batwoman seems distracted..."

"Exactly as planned," a near-elderly man replied, his voice deepened by the machine in front of his mouth. With that, the connection failed.

Tori ran into her home to see all of her friends still playing their game. "Hey, really sorry, you guys," she said, praying everything would be okay.

"It's fine," Cat replied, her voice sweet as always. "Come on, we're playing Bingo now."

"Awesome," Tori replied with a wide smile on her face as she took a seat on the floor. Andre', Catarina, Tori, and Katrina started up another conversation, laughing like school children again. Alfred heard them enjoying their youth, feeling light inside. However, knowing it was only temporary took a stronger toll.

Meanwhile, several children ran down the sidewalk from their school's playground. They were laughing at nothing, joking, and having fun. One of the children, a blond little girl with pigtails, suddenly stopped dead in her tracks, feeling dread within herself. "Sorry, guys," she said, her voice sweet and innocent but weighed down. "I have to go." Not really wanting their friend to go, the kids bid farewell to Cassie, and parted ways with her. Running to that place; that place her parents and teachers had vaguely described to her as a bad place, the child kept on. There, an older man was waiting for her. "Were you with your friends?" he asked.

"Yeah," Cassandra answered, kind of scared, but feeling at home in this place.

"I don't want you hanging around those kids anymore," the man continued, making the impressionable child feel guilty. "I've seen 'em around town. They're bad influences. Ready?" The girl nodded, and walked with the man into his office.

"Cat...C. to the A. to the T. and that is me, I'm Cat!" Tori and Cat sang, doing little dances with one another as they performed their original kareoki song. The black-haired girl purred between verses, causing Andre' and Katrina to giggle. "Thank you!" Victoria yelled out with a humorous, drama queen tone to her voice as she and Catarina took their bows. Alfred and the teens clapped their hands together, the Englishman doing so in an elegant, cupped style.

"Nice one," Andre' said, flipping his long locks to the side. "That is so much better than anything Justin Bieber sings." Tori laughed as she took a seat next to her friend. As her chuckles grew, the brunette leaned back, letting her head rest on the African American teenager's shoulder for a moment.

The song made both Cat and Victoria feel all-around silly, but who better to feel that way with than your closest friends? Then, to ruin everything, the Bat-Wave began to vibrate. Alfred's heart sank. Tori reached into her pocket and shut off the machine. _Bane's out of the way, _she thought with a comforting smile. _The police can handle the minor stuff._ Seeing this, the Vega family butler's heart warmed over, and a smile formed on his face. "Who is in the mood for s'mores?" he asked, only to be answered with the inevitable "yes, please!" he hoped for.

"Thanks, Alfred," Catarina said, her voice excited like a child's.

"I made a song just like that one when I was nine," Katrina announced. "And I made Tori sing it with me. Remember that, sis?"

"Oh yeah," the younger brunette answered. "You called it...Super Trina, right?" Everyone burst into laughter.

Later that night, after Andre' had gone back home and Trina was making some phone calls to her talent agents, Tori and Cat, who was sleeping over, sat on the floor in their pajamas, flipping back and forth between old The Gray Ghost serials and music videos. "This was fun," the dark-haired girl said.

"Yeah," Tori replied. "We should do this kind of stuff more often." Cat felt some sadness sneak into her heart at that comment, knowing how rare this kind of thing was anymore. "What the?" The two teenagers looked at the television, where a news broadcast interrupted VH1's programming. "I didn't think they did that anymore."

A young man with brown hair appeared on the screen, nursing a grave expression from behind his glasses. "A recent member of a massive child pornography ring was apprehended last night," he declared. "Sources say he was only one of hundreds in Los Angeles alone. Investigations are being held, but few are coming back with information."

"Oh my gosh," Catarina whispered, horrified by the announcement. Tori sat up, staring intensely at the screen. Glancing up the stairs, the younger brunette saw her sister standing still, her jaw dropped; her skin was pale. Soon, Katrina, Cat, and Tori went to bed. However, Victoria was unable to fall asleep.

Walking down to the kitchen, the younger brunette poured herself a glass of water in the sink. "Unable to sleep as well, Miss Vega?" Alfred asked, trying to keep his voice hushed.

"No," Tori answered, looking over at her father figure. "Can't believe something like this was going on, and I didn't even know about it! This stuff goes on all the time, I know...but...I don't know."

"Miss Trina seemed to be taking the news rather hard," the Englishman replied. "Perhaps Tori Vega is needed more than Batwoman tonight."

The brunette girl looked at the floor, not sure of herself. "I don't know what's up...Trina's asleep..." she finally said. "But every night those scum balls are free and operating...more kids are getting hurt or used..." Tori remained silent for a moment, then looked at her butler. "Maybe The Batwoman isn't needed tonight..."

Shrouded in a veil of darkness, the filthy downtown region of Los Angeles was abuzz with alarms left unanswered, screams, drunken swears, and blaring music. Everyone knew this area as a living nightmare. Men and women would never dream of raising their children here willingly. One spot in particular, an underground tavern known as BlueLite seemed to emanate its own malicious presence.

A young woman walked in through the door, catching several people's eyes. Her hair short, jet black and gelled into spikes, the girl's short black skirt, blue belly shirt with red rhinestones, and black jacket barely stood out among the crowd. The girl gazed around the shady bar with black-hued eyes, then found her target; a young man, roughly twenty, nursing a drink at a table by himself. "Hey," said the young woman, pulling up a chair next to him.

"Hi," the man replied, obviously taken back by his guest's appearance, and the fact she was actually speaking to him. "Haven't seen you around here before...gotta name?"

"They call me Matches," the raven-haired girl answered. "You?"

"Ginny," the man answered, staring at his new friend. "What brings you down to the meanstreets?"

"Lookin' for something," Matches answered with a sleazy smile. "Maybe you can help me out."

"What's the caper?" Ginny asked, trying to be flirtatious.

"Porn...cheap," the girl answered. "Any names?"

Leaning closer and hushing his voice, the man gave the girl everything she wanted; "I know this guy...works out of an abandoned DMV just west of here," he confessed. "Tell him you wanna renewal...tell 'em Ginny sent you. He'll know what to do."

"Thanks, pal," Matches replied, giving the extortionist a quick stroke under his chin and a smile. "...See you around." Leaving the tacky young man helpless, the young woman went about her way.

Getting into the limo that had been circling the block for the past ten minutes, Matches threw off her wig, revealing her flowing brown hair and disgustedly wiped off her cheap, gaudy lipstick. "Was the mission successful, Miss Victoria?" Alfred asked, glancing at his charge through the rear-view mirror.

"Think so," Tori answered, covering up her exposed tummy. "A DMV west of here. I find the peddlers, I should be able to find the source."

"Well, your quest will have to wait until tomorrow, I'm afraid," the Englishman replied. "It is very late, and we do have guests."

"What?" the teenager blurted out.

"I'm sorry, Miss Victoria, but as your butler and legal guardian, I am putting my foot down," Alfred explained. "We are going home."

"...Alright," Tori gave in. "I'm beat, anyway...Thanks, Alfred." The butler smiled, and turned the limo around. "I dare say," Alfred continued. "Should I have stopped at anytime during your hunt, I would have lost the hubcaps right from under my nose." Victoria chuckled.

Under the hushed darkness of night, Tori's dreams flashed vague images of those scared exploited children in her mind, causing her to jolt slightly. Batwoman wasn't there to help them. Meanwhile, several middle-aged to elderly men were gathered in an abandoned warehouse. "Batwoman disappeared after Operation Venom," one of the men declared. "Tell Falcone the package _was_ delivered. Decoy was lost, though." An overweight man with silver hair and black sunglasses on nodded.

As the sun rose from over the skyline, Cat and Tori awoke next to one another, and met the day their own ways (Cat with a smile and gentle yawn, Tori with groans and the cracking of her neck from side to side). "Morning, Kitten," the brunette greeted her friend.

"Hey, Tori," the black-haired teen cheerily replied. "How'd you sleep?"

"Okay, I guess," Tori answered. "Kind of worried 'bout Trina, though...she seemed really uneasy last night."

"You can go talk to her...I'll make breakfast," Cat volunteered.

"Thanks, Cat," the brunette replied with a smile before departing to see her sister.

Gently tapping on her older sibling's slightly opened door, Victoria gently whispered, "Trina?" The older brunette was sitting on her bed, staring at the wall. "...Is everything...okay?"

"Yeah," Katrina lied, not showing much emotion. "Just tired...I had some trouble sleeping."

"You seemed kind of tore up last night," the brunette continued, walking over to her sister's bed and taking a seat. "I was just kind of worried."

Staring at the floor, Trina said nothing, obviously growing uneasy. "It's...that child porn thing they were talking about last night," the older girl finally answered. "...Look, I never told anyone but Mom and Dad this..." Tori felt her stomach start to turn on its side. Wiping a tear from her eye, Trina steadied her voice. "You know how I was always looking for...like, movie roles, singing gigs when I was a kid?"

"Yeah," Victoria answered, her voice weak and her heart starting to pound.

"...Our parents told me it wasn't a good idea...but I found someone," the older Vega girl continued on, not strong enough to look at her sister. "He... said he could put me on t.v... All he needed was some pictures...and he told me to take my pants off..." Katrina swallowed hard, her voice cracking. "...And I did...He started...touching me...so I told Mom and Dad...But he'd already taken the pictures..."

"Oh my gosh," Tori whispered, devastated. "Trina, I...I'm so sorry."

"Dad went after that jerk...got him arrested..." the older brunette said, barely able to speak. "But I know he wasn't the only one like him...These guys might be working for the same company...And those pictures of me are still out there." No longer composed, the once-proud, strong Katrina broke down crying into her sister's shoulder.

"It's okay," Victoria whispered, gently stroking her sister's hair. She felt every ounce of pain Trina felt. "...It's okay." Trina took in several heavy, cracking breaths, her eyes tightly closed and her face blood red and soaked with tears. Despite her outward composure, the younger brunette felt rage burning within her. They broke her; someone would pay.

_I never knew that about her...She's my sister...She was a child. Those scum have no right doing that...to anyone! _Tori snarled in her mind, feeling her pulse spike and her neck start to burn. _They're going down...tonight._ Dawning her primary Batsuit, Victoria looked at Alfred. "Do be careful," he begged.

"...I'll do whatever it takes," Batwoman replied before diving out of the window. Spreading her cape to form a pair of bat wings, Victoria glided through the night's sky. Rage burning inside her, the teenager forced herself forward. Katrina had been used, reduced to a piece of meat. It would end here. _No more children are going to suffer!_

The bell on the door rang, causing the owner of the so-called DMV to look up, as usual. A black-gloved hand viciously clenched the thin middle-aged man's throat, gagging him. "Who gives you supplies for your renewals?" Batwoman snarled, her white eyes locked into a horrifying scowl. Outside, several pale teenagers stared at the shocking scene, some of them shaking uncontrollably. By the time the police arrived, all that remained was some shattered glass and a middle-aged bound against a wall. A black bat emblem was painted over the ropes surrounding the extortionist. "The Bat," one of the officers declared.

Two men thew their money on the counter, knowing what sweet reward they were to receive. "Have fun, kids," a black-haired man with a raspy voice said, handing the teenagers a cigar box. Opening the case and removing the pills inside, the boys charged off into the night, laughing and planning their next high. "Quite a business you have going here," a grave, smokey voice announced from behind the vendor.

"I knew I'd be hearing from you soon enough," the push replied, turning around to see only shadow. "So, what do you want? Money? The goods?"

"Not exactly," Batwoman fiercely answered, dragging the man into the darkness. The man screamed, though no one was around to hear him. Smashing through the window and into the alley, the girl clenched the criminal's coat. "Who are you working for? Who?"

"I'm no rat!" the man screamed, his pulse racing like a scalded animal.

Deploying her grappling gun, Tori clenched her teeth until they ached, and attached the cord to the man's jacket. Suddenly, the two tore into the air, the man ending up dangling from the top of the massive buildings surrounding the alley. "You'd be surprised what you'll say when you're pushed," Batwoman declared. Looking down at what looked like a spinning abyss, the man began to sweat viciously, then made his decision.

Cat awoke groggy and aching. Dialing the familiar number, the girl cleared her throat. "Hey, Tori," she said, her voice sweet. "Hey, I just wanted to say thanks for letting me sleep over again. I had a great time, and...I hope everything okay with you and Trina. Um, call me back when you get the chance. Okay, bye." Listening to the voice mail on his charge's abandoned cell phone, Alfred found himself fighting back tears; Tori was a child. She should have taken that call, spending time with her friends and sister, or at least with Jade while she recovered. Instead, she was off who-knows-where hunting down criminals.

"Sir...the police got two of our boys," a young woman with a shaved head nervously declared, running into Falcone's office. "They said it was The Batwoman."

"Doesn't matter," the gruff-voiced man answered, his minor Brooklyn accent showing. "We've got twenty shipments already being shipped, fifty photo shoots taken care of...She can't stop us."

Suddenly, the florescent lights shattered, raining down burning glass onto the floor, and scalding those standing under them. A thin, death-star-like device in the shape of a bat dropped to the floor. Unable to see through the darkness, the gangsters scattered around like frightened rats. A grizzly clasp silenced one of the extortionists. "What's going on?" a teenage boy demanded. With a gasp, the boy was forced against a wall and assaulted with a blow to the face that rendered him unconscious.

"What the hell's going on here!" Falcone demanded, standing up at his desk. A black arm laced with blades grasped the gangster's coat, tearing some of the fabric, then forcefully chucked his back onto the desk.

Batwoman thrust herself on top of the mob boss, rendering him barely able to breathe; Fury bled inside of her entire body. Her hot breath burning on the older Italian man's neck, the vigilante glared into his very soul. "You've eaten this city's wealth," Tori snarled, her voice striking pure terror into the gangster's entire body. A young, terrified little Trina flashed in the girl's memory. The countless swarms of suffering drug addicts and abused children faded into the teen's raging mind as well. "_Preyed _on its innocent...and from this moment on..._None_ of you are safe." Viciously chucking the aged man into the wall, smashing his secretaries through the window, and savagely clawing at the hitmen, Batwoman made her decision; all crime was a burden on existence. All who threaten the helpless would be stopped; fury would be embraced.

"What happened?" a young police officer asked, climbing up the stairs of the large building.

"Some sort of attack," a young policewoman of Asian decent answered, viewing the area. "Almost all mobsters...what the...?" The two, followed by Commissioner White walked on the roof of the apartment, coming to a massive spotlight. There, strapped tightly, blocking out only a small section of the shining beacon, was none other than Falcone; his coat and suit were torn to rags. The officers looked up into the air, and saw a massive rendering of what looked like a bat shining in the sky.

"My gosh," the police commissioner exclaimed. Searches of the captured citizen's places of business revealed countless amounts of illegal substances, child pornography, and shaved-off machine guns. "Looks like this bat's a vigilante...Find her." White walked away from the scene, leaving a grave feeling with the police.

Staring into the beacon in the sky, Batwoman let her cape flow in the rough winds, waiting atop a large building's edge. 

_Crawling in my skin. These wounds, they will not heal._

A war had been waged, and she would be ready.

_Fear is how I fall. Confusing what is real.  
><em>

Thomas and Martha flashed in her memory, as did Trina and her friends, and Tori tightened her eyes around the city.


	11. Magic Tricks

Batwoman: Victorious

Chapter Ten; Magic Tricks

"It would appear Batwoman is now Los Angeles' newest celebrity," Alfred declared, looking at a newspaper. In large, bold letters, the words, "Batwoman at Large!" were spread over the front page. "Is this as you envisioned it, Miss Victoria?"

"...More or less," Tori answered, taking the paper. "Took down most of those animals in the city...hopefully, it'll scare some newbies before they get started..."

"Won't this tamper with your life as a teenager?" the Englishman replied. "Not to mention the added attention of the authorities?"

"They can't stop criminals, how could they stop me?" the brunette jokingly asked. "...I'm sorry, Alfred...But they won't find out. Batwoman may be public...but Tori Vega isn't. I'll be okay." Smiling a brief, comforting smile, Alfred gently wrapped his arms around his charge, then let her go.

"There was yet another message from Miss Catarina," the older man continued as Tori began to exit. "She invited you to a school carnival. Masters Beck Oliver and Andre' Harris, along with madame Jadeyn West will also be in attendance."

"Oh, thanks," Tori replied, picking up her cell phone. "Hey, Cat...hey, it's Tori...sorry I missed you. Yeah! I'd love to go. Could Trina come with? Cool. Thanks, Kitten. See you tonight...Okay. Bye."

That night, Hollywood Arts and its surrounding ground was packed with students, their out-of-district friends, and even some of the teachers. Cat walked alongside Tori, Trina, Andre', Jade, and Beck as into the school. "These carnivals are always so much fun," the dark-haired girl exclaimed.

"Thanks for inviting us, Cat," Jade replied, holding onto Beck as she went on. The others agreed.

"I've never been to one of these before," Trina added. "What kind of stuff do they usually have here?"

"Usually games, raffles," Beck answered. "They usually have singing, but it looks like they're saving that for the talent show Friday."

"Uw, that sounds like fun," Cat threw in. "We should enter!"

"_All_ of us?" Jade asked, obviously referring to Tori's involvement.

"Yeah," the dark-haired girl innocently answered. "We could write our own song."

"Hey, that might be fun," Tori threw in. "That's kind of how I wound up here in the first place."

"You know I'll sing back-up," Andre' volunteered.

"I'm in," Katrina agreed. "How 'bout you two?"

Jade and Beck looked at one another, and gave in. "But I'm gonna help write the song," the semi-Gothic girl declared. Cat smiled, gave the gang a group hug, then let her friends continue through the gym. "This is gonna be awesome!" Catarina shrieked, showing the same youthful excitement she was known for.

"Step right up," one of the stand owners called out. She was about seventeen, had long, evenly-tasseled, dark blond hair, black eye liner, purple eye shadow, a black top hat, white gloves, and a blue-suit-and-tie-leotard with a tie and dark stockings. "Zatanna's magic is welcome to all...Come and be astonished."

Cat quickly skipped over to the booth, dragging Tori behind her. "Zatanna," the brunette read. "Master of the Occult..."

"What kind of magic do you do?" Cat asked, eating up the idea like a kid in a building made of candy. "Do you make rabbits jump out of hats?"

"Far more than that, little one," Zatanna answered, her voice mysterious. "I will show you...for only five dollars."

"She looks like a stripper," Jade coldly joked in Beck's ear. "What idiot's gonna pay to see 'magic'?"

"You there!" the so-called magician called out to the couple. "Please approach." With an exasperated sigh and a deep, backwards bob of her head, Jade walked over to the booth. Beck followed behind. "You seem lacking in faith...do you doubt me?"

"I doubt you can do anything but burlesque," the dark-haired girl shot back.

"_Vile girl with icy heart_..." Zatanna chanted, moving her hands and fingers in bizarre fashions. Jade gave a confused glance at the girl. "_Let your cold ways from you depart!_" As the skeptic teenager predicted, nothing happened. "Now, dark-haired child...you and the rest of your group step forward as well."

Andre', Trina, Tori, and Cat walked up to the booth as Jade and Beck departed. Examining the four, the blond girl smiled an almost sinister smile. "Tell me about yourself, Tori," she said, staring at the brunette.

"Well, I'm the younger of the Vega sistes," Tori answered, not taking the situation seriously. "I'm Hispanic with a touch of French on my father's side."

Zatanna took a second, as if looking into her customer's very soul. Taking a step back, the girl let the entire group into her sight, and raised her hands. "_Since all views have their flaws," _she chanted._ "Let these souls abide by different laws!"_ Catarina giggled, looking at her friends. "Now...the matter of my payment..."

"I've got it," Tori happily gave in, pulling out her wallet.

"Thanks, Tori," Cat said. "I'll get you a snow cone."

"Uw, yummy," the brunette replied, running behind her friend. Trina and Andre' walked off to another booth, leaving Zatanna alone. A sudden, happy light twinkled in her eyes as she watched the teenagers.

After setting times and dates to write and practice their song and parting ways, the teenagers returned home (with the exception of Beck going to Jade's place). Tori, as usual, began checking the Bat-Wave for any activity. Beck and Jade sat on their couch, kissed for awhile, then just looked at one another.

"Icy heart?" Jade snarled. "What was her problem?"

"All those carnies are crazy," Beck answered. "Don't let her bug yuh." The young man leaned in and kissed his girlfriend. Gazing into Jade's eyes, Beck felt guilt wash into his mind. "I'm so glad I have you..." Not exactly understanding her lover's sudden graveness, the young woman just continued enjoying his warm presence. Eva walked down the stairs, holding a little gray cat in both of her arms, saw the two together, then went back up the stairs without so much as being heard.

"Thanks for coming again, Malika," one of the teachers in charge of the carnival said, shaking hands with Zatanna.

"Anytime," the dark blond replied with a mysterious smile. Walking away, Malika smiled a dark, satisfied smile.

Meanwhile, Tori sat in her room, looking over her hand-held device. Finally, it began to vibrate. "Break-in at a local bank," she whispered. "Alfred, I'm going out...Hey, look at all the moths by the window...They look silly." Looking away from the flying insects, Victoria dawned the Batsuit, and dove out of the window. "Weeeh!" she exclaimed, gliding through the air on artificial wings. "Oh man, this is fun!" Reaching the city's skyline, Batwoman was soon noticed by several police officers. "It's the bat!" they yelled.

One of the men grabbed a megaphone. "Batwoman!" he yelled. "You are ordered to stand down!" Barely noticing the screaming men on the ground, Tori continued gliding through the air. Finally, she landed in front of the bank. A man, aged about twenty five and clad in a black ski mask stormed out of the building with a loaded gun and an entire sack of money.

"Halt, evildoer," Batwoman commanded, using a deep, heroic voice. "What's that money going to buy you but a life of regret?" Confused and annoyed, the thief jerked to the left and took off. Quickly, Tori chucked a Batarang at his legs, knocking him down. "I gave you fair warning, young man... Now I'm going to have to throw the book at you." The girl tied up the criminal, leaving him for the police.

"Freeze, Batwoman!" a female police officer of Asian decent, the same one who witness Falcone tied to the spotlight screamed.

"I'm sorry, lady," Tori replied, still using the corny voice. "But I'm afraid I'm going to have to disobey that order...in the name of justice!" With that, the girl deployed a grappling hook, letting her escape onto the rooftop, and into the night.

"...Lady?" the officer repeated, confused.

Later that night, Trina was sitting on the couch, writing something down. Having returned to her room and changed into her pajamas, Tori skipped down and stairs and took a seat next to her sister. "Wha'cha doing?" she asked, leaning close to her face.

"Just writing something," Katrina answered, sounding serious.

"What?" Tori persisted, bobbing closer to her older sister, then back, then close again.

"It's a song," the older brunette finally answered. "Are you okay? You seem kind of...different tonight."

"So do you," the younger girl replied, using a childish voice. "Hey, I'm hungry...You want some cookies?" Tori skipped into the kitchen.

"No, thanks," Katrina answered, returning to her writing.

"Hello, Miss Trina," Alfred said, walking into the room. "Is your night going well?"

"Yeah, but Little Sis is acting really weird," Trina answered. Looking into the kitchen, the two saw Tori snack on cookies, then stare out the window at a squirrel. Giggling, the teenager waved to the little creature. "Is she meeting with Dr. Strange tomorrow?"

"Yes," the Englishman answered, not able to look away from the odd scene. "After school...Um, what, may I ask, are you working on?"

"I don't know why...but I was thinking about Mom and Dad..." Trina gravely answered. "I started writing this...makes me feel better. Kind of." Remembering similar behavior from Tori, Alfred felt himself grow uneasy, then departed into the kitchen.

"Miss Victoria..." the man said, still confused. "Are you...feeling alright?"

"Feel great," Tori answered. "Some mean police officers were yelling at me, though."

"...Mean?" Alfred replied, not used to his charge speaking in such a childish manor. "Um...they're serving warrants for you?"

"Guess so," Victoria answered, pouring herself a glass of milk. "I'm tired...night, Alfred." The girl walked up the stairs to her room, leaving the Englishman totally confused.

Cat was sitting in her bedroom, looking through the newspaper to find some casting calls. For some reason, getting noticed was on her mind. Stroking her jet black hair back, the girl made mental notes of interesting jobs. Suddenly, the electronic ring tone of Cat's cell phone distracted her. Voice mail kicked on; "Hey, Kitty," Tori said, her voice sounding light. "Just wanted to say 'hi', and can't wait for practice...So, call me back later. Night." Looking at the small phone on the counter, the raven-haired girl thought for a second, and decided to reply in the morning.

Jade leaned over the toilet and vomited. Since she was diagnosed with McGregor Syndrome, her stomach had been growing weaker and more sensitive; throwing up was almost a nightly thing. Lifting herself up on her knees, the dark-haired teen wiped off her mouth, and regained her composure. "Jade?" a timid voice whispered in.

"Eva," Jade called back. "Ugh...come in. I'm okay now." The younger West girl walked in, holding a little teddy bear in her hands. "What's up?"

"I just...I wanted to tell you, but Beck was here," Eva stuttered. "...I miss you."

Jade looked at her little sister, and felt herself grow upset. "Hon...I'm sorry," she said, opening her arms for the girl to walk into. "I really haven't been bothering with you lately, have I?" Eva shook her head, growing closer to tears. "Beck's my boyfriend...but you're my sister...I'm so sorry." The younger girl merely enjoyed her sister's loving embrace. "I promise...tomorrow, it's just gonna be you and me. Okay?"

"Okay," Eva answered, her voice muffled in Jade's shoulder. The child kept her eyes closed, feeling like this hug could keep everything safe forever.

Come sunrise, Jade, Tori, Katrina, and Cat woke up feeling, in many ways, unlike themselves. However, it felt natural for them. Smiling and stretching her arms out in the air, Victoria took in the gorgeous lights of dawn. Jade opened her eyes to see Isis laying down beside her head with her little eyes shut. "Hey, angel," the dark-haired girl said, smiling and gently stroking the cat's back. Cat, feeling anxious, logged onto her computer and began hunting down more auditions. Trina was unable to sleep most of the night, and was torn up about her parents. The girl had thought herself finally over what had happened, or at least accepting, but all that seemed to have changed.

"Yeah...hey, Tori." Jade spoke into the phone, her voice sweet. "Sorry, but I've gotta cancel today...yeah, I'm gonna be with Eva. Hope the band can deal without me...Thanks." Setting down her phone, Jade threw a pair of dice down.

"Five," Eva said, her tone light. "You're stuck in Sour Land." The older West girl pretended to be upset, making her sister giggle.

"I forgot how much fun you are, Eva," Jade said. Despite her happy disposition, the teenager couldn't help but feel guilty for having such little contact with her sister before.

"Hey...what's Beck like?" the girl suddenly asked. "I mean...is he sweet? Does he...are the two of you in love?"

Caught off guard, Jade waited a second, then chuckled alittle. "Beck's really sweet, but he's stressed alot, you know? And...I think we're close to love...we're best friends."

"That's really cool," Eva replied. "I'm happy for the two of you." Seeing how sweet and innocent her sister was, Jade couldn't help but give her a kiss on her forehead. _Icy heart..._ Feeling uneasy, the girl couldn't help but try too hard to hold on; tears began to form in her eyes. "I'm so sorry," Jade cried. Not understanding, Eva did what every loving sister would do; held her sister in her little arms, and comforted her.

"Whatever you did," the younger West sibling said. "...It's okay." Jade sniffled, holding onto her sister for dear life. _She did...something to me, _the teenager thought, remembering Zatanna. _I'm not a good person without that magic..._

"Okay," Andre' said, sketching down some musical notes. "How about..._Here I am._ Saying, you know, we're taking our stand, standing with one another, and not afraid of other people's opinions."

"I like it," Tori replied, smiling. "It's not the first time we've done something like this, though...How about adding..._Once again._"

"..._Feeling lost..._" Cat continued, thinking deeply about the situation, even touching on the way she usually was before she started feeling odd. "Like, when we were in preschool, and were just starting to get an idea of what we wanted to do..._But now and then._ For those moments when we know what we love and know that we're doing it...living it."

"Awesome," Beck replied. "And, um..._I breathe it in...to let it go._"

"Nice," Cat replied. "I hope someone notices us."

"Eh, just as long as we have fun," Tori replied with a smile. "Isn't that what's important?"

"I guess," Cat answered. The raven-haired girl suddenly found herself starting to giggle. "Can't blame me for wanting attention, though." These words remained in the young girl's mind; she'd never given any thought to her life after Hollywood Arts.

"Lemme just jog this down," Trina said, writing down the lyrics. "How about we have...Make It Shine be the main chorus term?" _This is fun...too bad I stopped writing songs just for me... _she began to think. Some images of a young Katrina began to flash through the teen's mind. However, every thought of her happy, innocent self was shattered by the image of her parents dying in the alley.

"Love it," Andre' answered. "Make it Shine...Whether in or out of the spotlight."

Given some quiet time, Tori smiled and bobbed her head back and forth. _I'm having fun, _she thought, feeling light and bubbly. "I hope Jade can come to practice some time this week," she said. "She would love this."

Jade and Eva danced around in the living room, giggling at how silly they were acting, and letting their music blare; no one was around but them to complain. Finally, the sisters fell to the ground, laughing so hard they could barely breathe. "This is really fun," Eva exclaimed, turning down the music. Miss Puddy walked over to the two and rubbed up against Jade's face. Holding herself together for a moment, the older West girl and her sister finally began a new roar of laughter.

"I'm so glad we could hang out again," Jade said, setting her little cat down. "I've really missed you, Eva."

"I missed you too, Jadeyn," the child replied, her voice sweet. "I've been kind of upset about your being sick."

"Hey..." the semi-Gothic girl said, rolling onto her stomach, then crawling over to her sister. "I'm fine, hon...I'm not going anywhere." Taking comfort in her big sister's promise, Eva wrapped her arms around her neck in a loving embrace, and closed her eyes like a baby being put to sleep.

The next day, Jade and Eva met Tori, Cat, Trina, Beck, and Andre' at the Vega estate. "Good morning, Miss West," Alfred greeted. "And, who may you be, young lady?"

"Eva," the younger West girl answered, half hidden behind her sister's leg. "She's my baby sister," Jade explained. "Morning, Al." The Englishman smiled and politely gestured the siblings into the living room.

"Hey, Jade," Tori excitedly greeted her friend. "Ready to practice?"

"Sure," Jade answered, sitting down next to Cat.

"Oh, hey, Eva," the raven-haired girl greeted Jade's little sister with a wide smile.

"Hi, Cat," Eva replied. "You look different."

"Dyed my hair," Catarina explained.

"Alright, Jade," Andre' said, handing the girl a piece of paper. "Here's what we have so far. It's called Make It Shine."

"...Like it," the dark-haired teenager exclaimed, sliding one of her pink-colored locks out of her face. "...After the main line of the chorus...how about..._You're never gonna fade...You'll be the main attraction._"

"Nice," Katrina answered. "Oh...but I think it's missing something...maybe more on the actual performing part..." After thinking over the mood of the song, as well as the other lyrics and tune, the girl broke into a gentle soprano; "_You don't have to be afraid to put your dream in action..._"

"Awesome, Trina," Tori said. "I love that...Kind of reminds me of when I was in that talent show for you...and I remembered how I got scared and puked when I was a kid performing Swanny River...and you told me I didn't need to be afraid of what I was afraid of when I was five."

"Oh, yeah," Katrina replied. "Now you're performing all the time with us." Victoria smiled at her sister for a second.

"That's really sweet," Eva said, looking at the two. "You two helped each other...Trina?"

"Yeah, sweetie?" Katrina replied.

"Are you and Tori twins?" the little girl asked.

"No, we're about a year apart," Katrina answered. "But thanks." Not getting the joke, Eva looked at Tori; There was something about her. Something she saw alittle bit of in Jade, but couldn't place.

Suddenly, there was a knock at the door. "I've got it," Tori said, getting up. "Hello," she greeted the guest, using a comically deep voice.

"Hello, Victoria," Malika greeted, acting as mysterious as ever. "How have you been feeling lately?"

"I feel great," Tori happily answered. "You?"

"Well," Zatanna replied. "You seem more at ease than before...Have your friends been doing as well?"

"Cat's alittle stressed," the brunette answered. "Trina too, but she's more down than anything else...Jade seems nicer...so that's nice."

"Wonderful," the magician replied. Waving her hands, Zatanna mumbled something, smiled, then departed.

"...Weird," Tori muttered under her breath, seeming less cheery than before. "Hey guys, how's it going?"

"Super," Cat answered with her usual, perky smile.

"Oh hey, Jade," Beck said, not really noticing the question. "I forgot to give you your kiss."

"Can't have that," Jade replied, leaning in and touching her lips to her lover's.

"Yuck," Eva exclaimed. The couple laughed alittle, then pulled apart.

"We're almost done, Tori," Katrina said, jotting something down. "We're just about ready for the show. We are gonna kick some butt."

"Cool," Tori replied, sitting down next to her sister on the floor. "May I see?"

"_Here I am...Once again,_" Tori began, her voice light. "_Feeling lost, but now and then...I breathe it in...to let it go. And we don't know where you are now._"

After some time, Jade, Trina, and Cat joined in for the chorus. "_You don't have to be afraid to put your dream in action,_" they sang in near-perfect harmony. "_You're never gonna fade, you'll be the main attraction._.._Not a fantasy. Just remember me. When it turns out right."_

"_Cuz you know that if you're living your imagination,_" Andre' and Beck continued. "_Tomorrow you'll be everybody's fascination._"  
>"<em>In my victory,<em>" Tori lead on. "_Just remember me._"

"_Just remember me-ee,_" Eva joined in, keeping her voice to a background level.

"_When we Make it Shine!"_ the entire group belted out. Roars of applause and clapping from the audience echoed throughout the entire auditorium. Mr. Sikowitz clapped wildly, even with a coconut in his hand.

"Looks like you've been noticed," Tori whispered to her sister.

"Can't think of anyone I'd rather share it with," Trina replied with a smile. The group took a bow.

"Nice job, sis," Jade said, lifting her sister into the air. Eva smiled at her older sister.

"Please," a masked criminal pleaded as a black glove pressed him against a wall. "What happened to you bein' nice?"

"We all need balance," Batwoman snarled before delivering a punch to the criminal. From atop a nearby building, Zatanna smiled, then seemed to vanish into the night.


	12. My Pain My Path

Batwoman: Victorious

Chapter Eleven; My Pain...My Path

"Do you really want to be doing this now?" Batwoman asked, her voice gruff and terrifying as ever. Before her, the red-masked young man stood with a handful of money in his clenched fist.

"Don't have a choice," the hooded thief answered. "Believe it or not, day-by-day payments are the only thing keeping someone alive." With that, the boy charged away, knocking over a shelf of novelty items to stop Batwoman. Despite this, the vigilante charged on, not even breaking a sweat. "Didn't think that'd work." Chucking a Batarang at the criminal's legs, Tori watched her opponent collapse on the floor. Gruffly grabbing the collar of the boy's shirt, Batwoman glared into his eyes.

"If you really thought you'd get away from me..." the girl began to threaten. Suddenly, the thief pulled out a pair sharpened wind-up teeth, and set them off on the girl's face, causing Tori to let out a grunt of pain, and drop the red-hooded criminal.

"Later, Bats," the young man called out, charging into the night with his stolen money. "Came prepared this time." Batwoman snapped the weaponized novelty toy in two, then wiped off the blood from her upper lip. _Who is that kid? _she asked herself, growing aggravated. Charging out of the store, Batwoman furiously looked around for the boy.

_I don't get it, _the girl thought to herself. _I've taken down giant mutants, drug dealers, and mob bosses...what is it about this kid? Why can't I stop him? _Suddenly, the vibration of the Bat-Wave broke Tori's concentration.

Meanwhile, Beck tore off a mask he was wearing, and counted over his money. "Okay," he whispered in between heavy breaths. Lately, the police reports had been extremely specific on crimes; every cent was counted. Because of this, Beck was forced to limit his payments to his beloved. Maybe larger sums would make up for it in the end. Tears burned in the young man's eyes, though they remained in place, glistening like a stilled, frosted-over ocean.

Jade lay in her bed, her eyes closed and her mind drifting within a scattered slumber. Her body weak, the teen saw vague images of herself with Beck. Eva gently held and rubbed her older sister's hand, wanting only to be close to her.

Standing on the ledge of a massive building, Batwoman watched the city; Squad cars hearing of her presence raced down the road, their sirens screeching like a drowning woman. Tightening her eyes, Tori felt the Bat-Wave generate energy. _Break-in near the harbor, _she read. _Hopefully, it's the rest of Falcone's gang._ Just then, the girl's cell phone rang. "Hello," she answered, her voice sweet as usual. "Oh, hey, Cat."

"Hey, Tori," the raven-haired girl replied, sitting on her bed. "What'cha up to?"

"Oh, you know, this and that," the brunette answered, taking in the night's sky for a moment. "What's up?"

"Well, you know how we got first place in the school's talent show?" Cat replied. "Some kids want us to perform at their birthday party...Won't that be fun?"

"Yeah," Victoria answered, a smile forming on her face. "Sounds great...when is it?...Okay. I can make that. Thanks, Kitten. Yeah...love you too. Night." Hanging up her phone, Batwoman hid it away in her utility belt, spread her wings, and dove down into the city. The wind flowing through her body, the vigilant glided forward, charging towards the scene of the crime.

"It's the Bat!" a police officer called out, pointing his fellow servicemen towards the menacing figure flying above them. Immediately, several of the men and women began to shoot at her. "Stop! We don't have orders," a young woman called out to the other police officers.

"Follow her!" an African-American officer screamed, leading two men and three women clad in bullet-proof armor after Batwoman.

_No, _Tori thought, glancing down at the officers. _I've gotta lose these guys...Who knows what'll happen if they get to the warehouse too soon...I'm not letting any blood spill tonight._ Tearing off to one side, Batwoman passed through some large buildings, and landed in an alley. Among the darkness, she was hidden. Breathing in scattered, silenced bursts, the girl searched for anyone near her. Seeing no one, not hearing anything, and positive her pursuers had lost her, the young woman charged out, headed straight for the warehouse.

Grappling onto the roof of the building, Batwoman stealthfully zipped into the air, landing atop the warehouse. Pressing her ear to the cool, rough cement, the young woman utilized her amplifonic earpiece; little movement, scattered footsteps, incoherent chatter; the criminals had no idea who was spying on them. Smiling to herself, Batwoman aimed carefully, and threw a metal orb through the window below her.

"She's here!" a middle-aged man cried out. Black smoke flooded the entire room, though the men came prepared. Their eyesight hued over red, the men and women vigorously glanced all around the room. Suddenly, several of them were hoisted into the air, shrieking in terror. However, some of the gangsters saw their attacker (most for the first time), and took aim.

"Ah!" Tori hollered, feeling the vicious, stinging, hot lead tear through weak points in her armor. Blood splattered out in vicious bursts. Clenching the wounds, which were still flowing with heat, Batwoman attempted to remain in her spot, if only to land a single strike.

"Nighty-night, Bat!" one of the men snarled as he aimed his gun at the teenager's head. Losing the strength in her arms, Victoria dropped from the pipe on the ceiling, throwing herself out the window.

"Surround the area!" one of the police officers cried, hearing the gunfire. "Form a perimeter! Yin, call in backup, we're taking this place down!"

Plummeting into the water, Batwoman felt the icy water start to dull the throbbing of her wounds. Moving quickly, the young woman threw off her cape, and began violently swimming towards the surface. Throwing herself out of the water, Tori took in a loud gasp of air, then swam towards a nearby storm drain; a haven to go on for. Feeling the water being tread through her soaked gloves, Batwoman carried herself onward, the stinging in her side constantly trying to hinder her. Finally, her heavy breaths growing more and more painful, the girl reached the drain, clinging on its thin bars for dear life. _I've gotta make this, _Victoria thought. _It can't end here..._ Pulling the bars off the drain, the girl forced her weak, aching body upward, then lay down flat on her stomach in the damp tube, her breath so heavy. Shutting the gate behind her, the girl crawled forward, keeping her hand on the wound to drown out the agony of the bullets.

Finally daring to take pressure off the deep gashes, Tori weakly glanced at her abdomen, which was soaked in dark-red blood. "Ah," she cringed, feeling the stinging worsen. "...Gotta get these out of me." Pressing into the bleeding areas, the teen came to realize she had two bullets lodged around her stomach, neither one to the bone or rupturing organs. Despite her better judgment and medical knowledge, the girl decided to take action; carefully removing her outer suit, then unstrapping her bullet-proof vest, which had finally failed her. Down to only her bra and cowl, Tori pulled a heating pad from her utility belt, turned it on, then pressed a pair of pliers against it. Once the metal tool became hot to the touch, the girl took in a deep breath, and slowly, carefully stuck them into her cuts. Screaming in absolute agony, Tori felt her raw, inflamed flesh light up with white-hot, burning intensity. Finally, the girl pressed against the sides of the foreign object, and slowly pulled it out, being sure not to puncture anything. Tears starting to slip from her eyes, the vigilante winced, then dropped the blood-covered chunk of lead on the ground. Feeling hot, nearly-bubbling blood swell out of her gored skin, Tori pressed her gray suit tightly against it, serving as a temporary tourniquet. "One more," she exhaled, trying to control her trembling body. Trying to work fast, the brunette put the hot metal into her wound again, felt the bullet, then pulled it out, cutting her underskin slightly. "Ahh!" she screamed, sounding like a little girl, her teeth tightly clenched and her eyes shut with all her might. Knowing how ravaging an infection could be, Tori pressed the heating pad onto the wound, hearing her flesh sizzle. Hollering at the top of her lungs like a terrified child, the girl began to bleed heavily. Quickly, Batwoman tied her suit around both of the wounds, forming the gaws she needed.

So weak, so tired from the event, Victoria lay on her back, breathing in and out in such a vulnerable manor. For a second, everything went black, then she awoke back in the miserable hole she brought herself to. "Alfred," she said, pressing on her communicator. "Ah, I need your help...I'm in a sewer beneath the harbor...I'm really torn up...Lost alot of blood. Can you come down here, please? I'll meet you at the other end beneath the alley..."

"I will be there as soon as I possibly can, Miss Victoria," the Englishman answered. "Please, do be careful."

"Thanks, Alfred," the girl replied, walking on through the deep, flowing trenches. The stench was revolting, as was the feeling of her soaked boots treading through those hideous liquids. Finally, the tube lead into the main sewage tunnel. _Oh man...it's still another mile, _Tori thought to herself, growing discouraged. _Gotta get out of here._ Trapped in the misery that bled into every aspect of reality, the teenager kept pushing herself forward, knowing everything would be better soon; Alfred would be able to help her, Cat would do that birthday party show with her, and everything would just be okay. "Here I am...once again," the brunette began to sing to herself, trying to lighten her spirit. "Feeling lost, but now and then..." Leaning against a cool, damp brick wall, feeling just how tired her body was growing Tori found herself as a child once again, walking with Mommy, Daddy, and Trina.

The air was cool that night, and every scene from that movie was buzzing in her little brain like a swarm of bees. Her father's hand was warm, and her mother's so soft. She could smell her perfume again, as if she were right next to her. Then, the image shattered, and her parents' lifeless bodies snapped her out of her daze. Snapping her head forward, Tori kept walking, feeling somewhat dizzy. "Come on," the girl whispered to herself, clenching her aching wounds.

"You remember how to deal with pain," Batwoman told herself as she carried herself further.

Beck lay on his bed inside his trailer home, gazing at the ceiling and musing ideas of the things he'd done. Rolling a bouncy ball in his palm, the young man saw himself robbing innocent people; it's not like he liked it. He wasn't doing it to hurt anyone...he was doing just the opposite. Jade needed him; needed the money. Those people didn't. "Jade," Beck whispered, feeling his throat start to ache.

There was no question that Jade and Beck loved one another (or so some believed). There was no question the two were important to one another. There was no question that they were happiest when they were together (when Beck wasn't obsessing over Tori, or just the feelings he had for her). Jadeyn West and Beck Oliver; the typical, natural high school couple. They were almost always together until the disease pulled them apart. They knew everything there was to know about one another (or so they thought). Had they slept together? So many guessed yes, but so few knew. No one knew. It had always been like this; no one knew how they got together, why they got together, or why they, out of all people, chose one another. So many go through their lives believing that getting married or getting a significant other is only a matter of time; "You'll find the right one when the time is right," they'd lie. Beck glared into the darkness, looking at how impossible everything he once believed in and counted on had become. It was as if it was all written in the stars for others; like every cookie jar had its lid. Was the universe that simple? Was everyone promised another? That person who lives for you and you for them? And at a moment's notice, the two of you would be eternally bonded by the invisible, unfathomable ties of a relationship? If that were so, why were things turning into this? It was wrong. It was all so wrong.

As the night carried on its drunken ritual, Beck began to think about him and Jade; would he ever be able to tell her what he had become? Would she even love him after what he had done? Would the fact that it was all for her make it any better? Was it even for her afterall? _It's funny, _the boy thought to himself, smiling even though his emotions were ravaging his body from the inside out. _I don't think I get it anymore..._ So lost, so upset, so far from the solace he thought he could give himself, Beck began to chuckle, throwing his meaningless ball up and down in the air, only to catch it time and time again.

Forcing onward, Tori spat out a thick, half-clotted wad of blood, making her body tremble even more. "Come on," she whispered, tightening her eyes in an attempt to see the blurred-over land better. Her head swaying from side to side beyond her control, Batwoman found herself as a fourteen-year-old, walking down a dirt road just past dusk. Her hair was longer, less graceful. Her face darker from fear and worry. The air was different here. She could remember it so well; she was in India, still trying to find someone to help her...to take the pain away from her. Anger burned deep within her heart, but she kept it there.

"You've come a long way," a kind, calm voice declared, stopping Tori in her tracks. Standing under a wooden booth, an Indian woman stood meekly but with confidence. Clad in a long, yellow Sari that gently flowed over her thin, petite body, the woman's long, flawless black hair glistened in the weak moonlight. "What's your name?"

"...Tori Vega," the child answered, her voice weak. "What's your name?"

"That doesn't matter right now," the woman answered, sounding almost grave in her soft tone. "You came here for a reason...may I ask why?" The brunette stared at the ground, her heart starting to crack as she recalled the horrid memories. "You're lost, aren't you? Maybe not in the way you're used to, but in your heart and soul." Tori weakly nodded, sniffling back fresh tears. "Why did you come here? Please..."

"...I want someone to make it stop," the girl answered, her voice breaking. "...Make the pain and anger go away...Can you help me?"

"Only if you allow me to," the woman answered.

Groaning in agony, Batwoman pressed her hand against the wall to support her weak body. Every memory was throbbing within her mind. Still, she carried on. Bleeding over the agony, that images of that kind woman glowed in its own way. "I hear you at night, Victoria," the young woman said, sorrow kissing her voice as she set a hot cup of tea on the breakfast table for her student. "You cry in your sleep when you think no one is listening."

The young brunette looked down at the soft wooden table, not able to face the woman.

"Why do you refuse to tell me?" the Indian woman asked, sitting down across from the girl. "It will do you no good to harbor these feelings inside yourself."

"...It's my mom and dad," Victoria answered, her voice hoarse and somewhat cracked. "They were shot right in front of my sister and I when we were kids...and I'm still upset."

_ As she walked over the hot coals, the teenager heard the sizzling of her toes. The pain was sharp, intense; too much. Jumping off the rocks, Tori curled her legs to her chest, clenching her throbbing feet, and trying to fight off tears. _

"I think I know why you came to me," the woman said, dipping a clean rag into cool water, then placing it on Victoria's forehead. "You wanted help dealing with your pain...all of it."

"Thank you," Tori moaned, feeling the soothing coolness on her hot, fever-infected face.

"The pain you felt when your parents died...the pain your body must endure," the young woman continued. "And the pain you know you must face one day." Still, the girl lay still, her breath heavy.

"What is it that compels you, Tori?" the woman asked one day, looking at the drained girl staring out the window into the darkness of the night.

"I don't know," Victoria answered, her voice weak, and her eyes lacking in ambition or any trace of emotion.

"I can sense regret in you, Victoria," the woman replied, her voice laced with sorrow. "But even more, I sense anger...hatred...and a sorrow so deep it weighs on your soul..." The brunette's glossed-over eyes remained on the starless night, as they had for so many hours. "You fear using your anger...as you fear letting it go. Your sorrow is endless...as you cannot find what it is that weighs on you so."

The sun was setting over the horizon, painting the entire sky a dark yellow. Cool winds passed through the land, filling it with a devastating silence. "Why is it you choose to travel by night?" the woman asked her loved one, standing further back on the dirt trail.

"That way I don't have to see what I leave behind," Tori answered, looking on the horizon, her heart alittle stronger, but far from whole. "Thank you, Sonya."

Dropping her head, the woman refused to watch the poor child depart. "You shouldn't thank me, Victoria," she gravely replied, her heart shattering violently. "I failed you..." Tori kept on walking, no matter how much it hurt her. Her body was stronger; more numb to the pain, willing to take more than it could before. However, her soul was weighed down so much it was drowning in its anguish. Still moral as ever, her spirit cried in sorrow that it wouldn't let wash away; anger it wouldn't come to terms with...just as Tori knew, deep down, she wanted it. "I couldn't save you from the fate we all know is coming...the fate I know your little body thirsts for...No matter how much you fight it."

Smashing against the cold wall, Batwoman violently clenched her shoulder, which was throbbing along with the rest of her body. The impact of the fall was finally showing its scars. Moaning in pain, screaming in agony, Tori continued onward, swaying from side to side. _I love you, Victoria...though I know it will never be enough to stop you...but maybe it's not love you want..._ "...Sonya," the girl finally managed to whisper, her voice trembling mercilessly.

Her body growing weaker with every step, the teenager felt her mind start to drift once again. Blood slid down her lips; expelling the last of her brief internal draining. The worst was finally over...all she had to do was make it out. It all seemed hopeless, though; just like what Batwoman was doing.

"Thanks for sitting up with me, Eva," Jade whispered, holding onto her little sister's hand. "I love you so much."

"I love you, too, Jadey," the child warmly replied.

"Here...come lay next to me," the dark-haired teen replied, helping her young sister onto her bed, then warmly wrapping her arms around her. "You're the best little sister I could ever hope for," Jade said with a smile, her eyes falling shut.

"And you're the best big sister..." Eva replied, her sentence interrupted with a weak yawn. "Anyone could ever want...Love you." Finding peace, the sisters fell into an innocent, peaceful slumber. Seeing her beloved daughters together, Mrs. West slowly tiptoed into the room, and gently tucked the two into bed. "Goodnight, angels," she whispered, her heart warmed.

Beck lay awake in his bed, not able to shake off those emotions that were trying to swallow him. He didn't have a choice; Jade needed him. A hot tear welled up in the inner corner of his eye, but he chose to keep it hidden in the darkness. Cat found herself awake in the dead of night, worrying about Tori; maybe their friendship was dying. Tori was getting so far away. It was all so sad. Trina, on the other hand, was peacefully asleep; blissfully unaware of everything her sister was doing. Locked in a deep slumber, his subconscious terrified over what his friends were going through, Andre' clenched his pillow in his right hand, and began to tighten his eye lids.

Collapsing on the damp, brick floor of the sewer, Batwoman took in breath after heavy breath, her wounded body wrapped in agony. _I love you, Tori, _a warm, comforting voice whispered in the teenager's ear. "Mom," Victoria whispered, a smile forming on her blood-stained face. Her mother's warm embrace flowing through her entire body, the girl grew weaker.

Finding herself a child again, Victoria let Martha wrap her arms around her little body, feeling her long, smooth hair fall over her face. She could feel her love again. "I love you, angel," she whispered, her voice so caring and so loving.

"I love you, too, Mommy," the five-year-old Tori replied, her eyes closed in a heartwarming smile as she put her arm around her beloved mother's back. Warmth and protection imitated throughout the entire area. "And I love Daddy and Trina..."

"We're so proud of you, Tori," Thomas said, his strong voice so calm and loving. The child smiled, letting her heart flow over with her parents' love and eternal protection.

Her face pressed into the hard ground, Batwoman's breath slowed, the trickle of blood still present. Everything was fading now; and she was so tired. It would be so easy to let everything go; let it all disappear. _"And the bunny said to the kitten...what?" Martha read to her daughter, so happy and so caring._

_ "I'll never let you disappear," the little girl read, warmed in her mother's embrace._

_ "And the two lived happily ever after...ever though they were so far apart," Martha concluded, showing her daughter the last picture in the old book, then slowly closing it. Giving her youngest child a kiss, the woman lifted her up, and gently tucked her into bed. Trina had outgrown story time, and was already fast asleep. "Goodnight, my love," the woman sang, stroking her daughter's long brown locks down around her little face. The two looked so much alike; they shared the same love, the same peaceful nature, the same shining brown hair. "Never wake to sorrow...never sleep in fear...Always know...you're always loved here." Smiling at her kind mom, Victoria soon drifted into slumber._

"I can't give up," Batwoman whispered, dredging her torn body upward, and staggering onward. That gunshot fired in her ears, shattering any happy dillusion the girl had with her now. The light of the world shined just ahead of her. _I couldn't save you from the fate we all know is coming...the fate I know your little body thirsts for...No matter how much you fight it_. Unable to walk without an agonized sway, Victoria tried to focus her eyes to make the blur stop. _Never wake to sorrow...never sleep in fear. _"You know I love you, Tori," Katrina once told her sister. "But I hate what you keep doing to yourself..." Deep, burning tears welled up over the girl's eyes, blinding her. Still, Batwoman continued walking. _I failed you... _"Sonya," Tori whispered, her voice weaker than a whisper and cracking with absolute sorrow. Her parents remained still on the floor, not able to love her or Trina ever again.

"Miss Victoria," Alfred called, knowing no one else was around to hear him. Crouching down to his knees, the Englishman held his hand out for his beloved charge. "Take my hand."

Staring down at her trembling, weakened, bloodstained hands, Batwoman clenched her face into a sorrowful form. Looking up at her father-figure, Victoria's jaw dropped in saddened helplessness. Alfred looked closer at his friend, confused and slightly uneasy. _You fear using your anger...as you fear letting it go. Your sorrow is endless...as you cannot find what it is that weighs on you so. _Even when she chose to use her anger, though, it weighed her down. It was unbearable. "I...I can't," Victoria answered, her voice laced with pure sorrow under the dying light of the moon.


	13. Hood

Batwoman: Victorious

Chapter Twelve: Hood

"Just give me the money! I don't wanna hurt you!" the criminal screamed, his red hood encompassed in the darkness of the room. The gun shook in his trembling hands; aimed into the forehead of the woman at the register. "Open the register."

Moving carefully, the middle-aged woman reached for the metal register. Her arm gently slid along the bottom of the counter. "Take your hand off that button," the hooded thief commanded, his voice gruff. "Just give me the money, and I'll go." Cocking down the hammer of his pistol, the young man steadied his hand.

Grabbing a handful of fifty and ten dollar bills, the terrified woman handed the man the cash she and her son had worked to earn. Snapping the pile of bills from her hand, the criminal set his gun in his pocket, then charged into the night. "Who was that guy?" a scared teenage girl called out.

"...Red Hood," an elderly man gruffly answered. The horror was unrelenting; only the grizzly image of his veil; the red hood remained to so many.

"Los Angeles is still under threat by the Red Hood," an elderly anchorman declared, staring into the camera. "At the same time, police continue their search for the mysterious Batwoman. Residents are advised to stay off the streets after dusk. The Red Hood is said to be armed and dangerous. The Batwoman, on the other hand, remains little more than an urban legend. Due to previous statements delivered by the vigilante, by means of words and recent assaults on local crime lords, she is an extreme threat."

Sitting in one of the chairs in the living room, Tori stared into the television set, the images reflecting off of her glasses. _That's how they see me, _she thought, studying the images before her. _...It doesn't matter. All that matter is stopping the Hood._ Standing up, the young woman charged into her bedroom, the Bat-Wave in hand.

Beck sat next to Jade on her couch, gently stroking her long, dark hair. "I love you so much," Jade whispered into the boy's ear, sending a beautiful chill down his spine.

"And I love you," Beck replied, feeling uneasy with himself. Those images flashed through his mind like vicious bolts of lightning burning into his retinas over and over again. He was a monster. "I always will."

Gently rubbing her long locks against her lover's neck, the semi-Gothic teenager closed her eyes. Her body weak, Jade took comfort in the strength of her boyfriend. "Thanks for being there for me," she said, her eyes growing heavy. What they had was so precious; what they knew was so comforting, so close to perfect. Inside, Beck begged for everything to return to that. If only there was something; a drug or anything that would make his feelings for Tori disappear. Suddenly, Jade began to cough. Her throat sounded raw and congested. "Oh, man," she moaned between hacks, feeling her throat begin to burn with vomit.

"It's okay," the young man replied, gently stroking down his lover's back as she leaned down to grab a garbage can. Her coughs growing more gags, Jade soon began to throw up, her body trembling. Continuing to comfort his girlfriend, Beck listened to her frantic, weak breaths; she was like a helpless child now. Too bad he wasn't much better. However, he turned into so much worse; the ruthless Red Hood. The one who makes children cry, robs old couples, and does it all while trying to convince himself it's right. Finally, Jade was silent, and lay on the couch in a fetal position. Slowly, lovingly, the boy wrapped his arms around her, and lay his cheek against hers. "It's okay," he whispered. _I'm worthless, _he thought, knowing there was so little he could actually do to help the one he loved. "...Can I tell you a joke? It'll make you feel better." The dark-haired girl nodded, too distraught to speak. "There was a man who always needed a way out...and finally, he told someone about it...and his wife said, 'no problem, I got the house in the divorce'." Jade giggled a weak giggle, not looking up from the couch she pressed her face into. Smiling, Beck lay down against the young woman's back, closing his eyes in a brief instant of peace.

Cat sat before the iron bars inside Arkham Asylum. "Are you feeling any better, Robbie?" she asked, sounding hurt.

"No," the curly-haired teen answered. Unlike the last few times, Robbie was not silent. Rex had been taken away from him in a desperate attempt for the police to cure him.

"I'm so sorry about all of this," the raven-haired girl said, her throat aching. "I wish they could just let you out, and we could be friends again." Staring at the floor, the young man refused to respond. "Robbie..." Robbie wouldn't look up from the cold floor. "Robbie, please talk to me." The boy remained still and silent. "Robbie, please!" Cat begged, hot, scalding tears welling up in her eyes and pouring down her soft cheeks.

"I'm sorry, Miss Catarina," one of the guards said, putting his hand on the girl's shoulder. "But you have to go now." Sniffling in some of her pain, the girl let the man walk her out.

"I miss him," Cat said, trying to control her emotions. "The old him...not the crazy bad one. I wish he'd come back."

"I'm sorry, Cat," Tori replied, gently brushing her friend's hair (something the innocent girl's friends used to do when her locks were long and red). "He will get better someday...I just know it. The guys at Arkham are the best."

"I hope so," Cat replied, her throat hurting again. "Tori...we're always gonna be friends, right?" Inside, all of her fears were flaring up, but Cat had learned to hide her emotions when it was essential.

Setting down the brush, Victoria's eyes turned weak as she faced her friend. "Of course we will, Kitten," she promised. "You know that."

"I'm sorry," the raven-haired girl replied, wiping away a tear from the corner of her eye. "It's just...nevermind."

"You can tell me, Cat," Tori said, sounding sympathetic and concerned. "I won't be upset."

"...I was afraid we were...growing apart," Cat confessed. "It really scared me."

"...Don't worry, Kitten," the brunette replied. "That won't happen...I love you, and I won't...I won't let anything tear us apart." The Batwoman's dark vows and image flashed through Tori's mind, causing her throat to ache as a massive lump formed in it. Smiling through the tears that began to fall, Victoria picked up the brush, and kept brushing out her friend's spiked black hair. _Rain poured down like oceans over Tori, Trina, and the lifeless bodies that were once their beloved parents. Lightning struck, and a lonely figure stood atop a massive building, draped in the dark aura she forged for herself to drown in._ "You'll always be my best friend, Kitten," Tori promised.

Katrina gazed into the room for a second, staying out of her sister's view, and began to feel uneasy; Tori wasn't always like this. She used to be so happy, so carefree. All that was gone now. She was the same way, though.

"Please...I don't want any trouble...just gimme the money!" Red Hood demanded, holding the gun up to a man at a cash register. Staring back at the gun before him, the man began to laugh. "That's not a joke! Give me the money or I'll blast your brains out!" Still the man laughed, smacking his hand on the counter and crying with shear pleasure. "Shut up and hand over the cash! Come on, my girlfriend needs this!" Laughter; that was all he heard. Shooting up, Beck caught himself in his bed inside his dark trailer. Cold sweat soaked his body, and his breath was heavy. Looking at his digital clock, the teen saw it was only several minutes past eleven. Laying back down, Beck closed his eyes, and tried to calm himself.

Sitting in front of the rusted metal cage that held the monster once known as Sinjin Van Cleef, Katrina looked into his red-pigmented eyes. Sitting still and calm, the young woman continued to wait. "Did you wanna talk?" she asked, sounding almost angered. "Is that why you called me down here? You used to love talking to me at Hollywood Arts. What changed?"

"I found out I was a monster," the green-skinned boy answered, his voice deeper than before. "Lost interest in chasing people who weren't interested."

"I'm interested in being your friend," Katrina replied, keeping her strength. "Why don't you get that people wanna help you?" Sinjin said nothing, and refused to look at the girl. "Alright," Trina declared, standing up and turning to the door. "You don't wanna see anyone, I'll just go." Moving quickly, the young woman pushed open the door.

"Wait!" Sinjin called out, standing up beside his bed. Trina turned around, and walked back to her stool. "I don't wanna be alone tonight."

"You don't have to be," Katrina gently replied. The crocodile-like boy let out a deep breath, and faced his visitor.

"How much do I owe?" Beck asked, pressing the phone so close to his ear the next morning. "...Okay. Yeah...Um, Jade West...yeah. I'm in charge of all of her medical funds...yeah, she had insurance...Alright...bye." His lump throbbing to contain the bulging orb that threatened to choke him, the young man snuffed back heavily, his face bleeding over a light deep red. His eyes flooded over with burning tears. Unable to break down again, Beck reached into his bag, pulled out a small knife, and dug it into his arm, sliding it down until a stream of numbing blood swelled out. Biting his lip, the dark-haired young man felt a hot tear slide down his cheek. His body still trembling, the agonized teenager grabbed the red cloth, and forced it over his face. Pulling the pistol out of his dresser drawer, Beck violently charged into the city.

Meanwhile, Jade lay on the couch, too weak to get up again. Wrapped in a warm blanket, the young woman felt herself drift into sleep. Eva sat in front of her, gently holding her sister's hand in her own. "I love you, sis," the child whispered. _I wish Beck was here...he makes Jade really happy._

Taking in a deep breath, the dark-haired teenager prepared himself for another robbery. Suddenly, much to his terror, his cell phone rang. Suspecting the worst, Beck answered, pressing the phone against the cloth hiding his face. "Hello?" he said, sounding cautious.

"Um, Beck Oliver?" asked the man on the other end on of the line.

"Yeah," Beck answered, his voice weak and shy.

"We received your application to work at the lab," the man said, as if he knew he was the answer to the boy's prayers. "And, we have a job for you...if you'd be interested."

"Yes," Beck answered, feeling his heart pound unrelentingly. "Yes I would. Thank you." Feeling weak, the Red Hood pulled out his gun, gazed at it for a second, then dropped it on the ground and departed from the scene. A cold wind stung the boy's back as he closed his eyes and tore off the mask. Beck allowed the breeze to blow his hair over his face. It was all over; he could finally help Jade...with a real job. He could finally be the man she needed; she deserved.

His eyes locked on the red cloth laying on the cold, wet ground, a middle-aged man felt a malicious smile form in his mind. Tori gazed down at the illuminated city through her bedroom window. It was all so quiet, so still, it seemed. The Bat-Wave was motionless, making her all the more cautious. _Maybe the Hood's finally turned himself in, _she thought, realizing she was thinking like an optimistic child. _...I wish._ Knowing it would never be that easy, Victoria pulled the cowl over her face, letting her cape descend to the floor, then threw the window open, letting in the violent, iced winds of the night all around her. Batwoman dove into the night's sky, gliding along with the breeze.

Jade rolled on to her side, and side, and was met by a welcome sensation that gently awoke her. Slowly, carefully pulling his warm lips off of his lover's, Beck wore a smile on his face. "Hey, you," Jade said, her voice weak as she moved into a sitting position.

"Hey, angel," the young man replied, his voice warm and calm. Beck looked into his lover's eyes. "I know I tell you this alot...but I love you."

Batwoman stood on a building top, listening to the sounds of the city. As always, there was the talk of strange characters stalking the city; "The Bat Woman's a freak," one young man said, sounding almost frantic. "I heard she ate this one guy in one gulp...like a snake," another man said. "What about the Red Hood?" a teenage girl asked, clenching her collar close to her throat. "That guy's a psycho." Clenching the Bat-Wave in her palm, Tori awaited any sign of The Hood. _Where is he?...Who is he? Why do I keep doing this? _Suddenly, her cell phone began to vibrate in her belt. "Hello," she quietly answered.

"Hey Tori, are you busy?" Cat asked, her voice calm and sweet, as always.

"...No," Tori answered, her tone growing happier. "What's up?"

References

Thomas and Martha are the names of Bruce Wayne's parents in Batman franchise.

In Tim Burton's Batman and Batman Returns, Bruce Wayne (played by Michael Keaton) wears glasses, as does Tori Vega in the series.

The Bat-Wave first appeared in The Batman animated series.

The Gray Ghost is a television superhero, voiced by Adam West (the most famous actor to portray Batman), and was featured in Batman: the Animated Series.

The name Batwoman: Victorious is taken from the unproduced film, Batman: Triumphant.


	14. Born into Darkness

Batwoman: Victorious

Chapter Thirteen: Born into Darkness

_We all have our stories...our joys, our victories, our sorrows...and our dark times._ The room was cold; his bones were brittle, tired, and aching. Step after slowed step, the beast walked forward, making his way towards the sweet waters. Barely awake; barely alive, it finally reached the pool, and slowly sank deeper and deeper. _I have been alive for six centuries...lived through pain, agony...and great conquest. _Throwing himself out of the water, the man took in a deep breath as the smoke simmered off of his body. _The demon...the terror that knows no end...I am the Ra's al Ghul. Before our forces grew apart, I was the head of the League of Shadows; a force for chaos...but order above all. The greater purposes in life...the end that justifies all means...it is what we exist for. Death; the fear of millions...the end, as many see it._

The bullet dropped on the floor, bouncing on the hard wood, then rolling like nothing more than a ball. _It doesn't take much...life is easily taken...but it's never as simple as pulling the trigger...for each life lost, two or more people will suffer. A small number, it may seem, but to those two people...or those two thousand people who stand in mourning every day...it means so much more..._

_ Love ties so perfectly in with hatred...emotions, to some, are the only thing they hold onto in life...whereas those who have claimed to be numb...having thrown away their happiness, excitement, and joy for the sake of forgetting their pain and sorrow...no longer see their lives as their responsibility...the pain is no longer theirs, or so they say. To hold that warm hand...to feel their breath on your flesh...to know what it is to feel more than you are...Soon, those emotions turn to habits. And those habits turn to control...jealous domination, and then...at the heart of it all...in that one instant of terror that we spend a lifetime hoping against...it all ends. But with that loss...with that terror...we find freedom._

_ I was a child...roughly eighteen years old when I found her. It was so long...but I still see her, vaguely...I cannot remember her name, though...but that doesn't matter. I held her warm hands, feeling her flawless skin against my own. She was everything I could never be...everything I dreamed of being. She was caring...loving...worth everything to me. But I lost her...and it was at that moment...that I realized love and life...are convictions...They have dubbed it the Lazarus Pit. For more lifetimes than others have dared to imagine, I find myself in a new conviction...but on a higher level. I no longer live...but walk. And as I walk, I am a force for chaos...but order above all._

_ I remember when the child came to me...broken...beaten...and alone. She told me that when she was a child; little more than six years old, her parents were killed right in front of her and her sister. She didn't know how to handle her feelings...how to control her emotions. She said she had worked to numb herself of pain, but she was far from ready._ Sitting alone in his library, gazing into the darkness around him, Ra's let his fist gently fold around his chin. _She was to be the one...the successor. The next in the dynasty._ A young woman, roughly nineteen years old, set down a glass of wine on her father's counter. "Thank you, Talia," he said, not looking away from the sky. _My own daughter proved unfit to take my place as the head...Victoria was only fifteen, but she showed such potential. It amazed me, terrified me..._

_ She was trying to escape...not knowing what lay ahead of her. She was angry, but didn't know why. She claimed she was looking for a way to avenge her parents' murder, but I knew there was something more. _

Tori stood before the man, her head down, her long brown hair strung down, and her eyes surrounded by dark bags and tear stains. Ra's gently went down on his knee, and wiped a tear from the child's eye. _The less we feel...the less we are, _he told her one day.

"I don't want to feel anymore," Victoria bitterly replied. "Nothing could be any worse than this." Retaining icy composure, Ra's extended his hand outward to take Tori's. No longer able or willing to give a smile, the teenager took the man's cool palm, and followed him into the Citadel of Shadow.

Training was brutal: _Tori remembered the cold, hard staffs smashing into her arms an back. The punches and kicks that brought her to her knees. Her breath heavy, the teenager felt blood start to slide down her lip. _

_ Darkness encompassed the room as Victoria waited. "You have to know the darkness...know your opponent." Two men, clenching a large wooden rod smashed down to the ground, knocking the teenager flat on her stomach and fighting off tears._

"You know how to hide your pain...to supress it," Ra's said, mixing the salts and herbs in a boiling pot holding a wash cloth. "But I have seen you cannot fight through it." The man put his hand out, gently holding the warm cloth.

"I'm working on it," Tori answered, taking the towel. "Thank you." Slowly touching the soggy fabric to her cut and tender forehead, the brunette clenched her teeth, then let the cloth rest on her face; warming it and easing her spirit. Ra's gently crouched down beside the child, his expression solemn but iced over with concern. "Why are you here?" he finally asked. "You told me the story, how you felt powerless...Is that why? You want to find strength? To know you can protect yourself and your loved ones should another beast come to take them from you?"

"Yeah," Tori answered, feeling like she was answering a question to a test; as always, she felt no closure.

"Is it?" Ra's insisted. "Do you think sitting in class...fighting some men in black suits...and carrying their picture with you will give you strength to control your life?" Those words hurt; they were true, and had enough depth to reveal everything. With all of her heart, she begged him not to, but kept her composure on the outside. "Is it going to take away from the fact that you have no master in your life?" Ra's words were growing vicious, and Victoria lowered her head to hide the vicious blushing and welling tears. "You blame yourself for that night, and you always will...whether you ever come face to face with that man again or not, you won't be ready. Because you don't know what you're looking for, and that is why you can't stop your pain!"

"Stop it!" Tori screamed, thrusting her body towards the man; her wash cloth falling to the floor, and her book flying towards him with the momentum of a dying phoenix. Closing his eyes, Ra's allowed Victoria to hit him time and time again, not unlike the way he'd hit hurt before. The book didn't hurt, though it would leave a small scar. When she was done, Tori sat down on the couch, pulled herself out of her emotions, only to break down in tears, and apologized; begging her leader's forgiveness.

Everything was forgotten, or so it seemed. Ra's remembered it all, as did Tori. However, neither saw fit to speak of it again. They both knew it was the only time Victoria had allowed herself to lose herself...

_ Fury bled inside of her entire body. Her hot breath burning on the older Italian man's neck, the vigilante glared into his very soul. "You've eaten this city's wealth," Tori snarled, her voice striking pure terror into the gangster's entire body. A young, terrified little Trina flashed in the girl's memory. The countless swarms of suffering drug addicts and abused children faded into the teen's raging mind as well. "Preyed on its innocent...and from this moment on...None of you are safe."_

"You're afraid," Talia said, making Tori look up from her cereal.

"Huh?" the brunette asked, sweet and innocent, as she was meant to be.

Batwoman stood atop the gargoyle guarding a massive building. Rain was blowing along with the cold wind that October night. That sound still made its pleasant echoes in her tired ears. Blow after blow, driving of fists after driving of the fists into the hard, rubber bag chained to the ceiling. "Good! Good! Nice, keep it up!" the soon-to-be middle-aged Italian man called out. His voice was somewhat nasally, but strong and serious when it had to be. "Never throw single punches...only barrages unless you're making a point!"

Finally, Victoria earned a break, and sat down at a table, her towel wrapped around her neck to absorb the sweat and pacify her heat. "Good job today, kid," the Italian said, taking a seat across from the girl. "I've...never seen a thirteen-year-old fight like that."

"Thanks, Mr. Barone," Tori meekly replied. At this point in her life, the girl was far more soft-spoken and childish in tone than in her later years. "Thanks for everything..."

"Oh," the man sighed, setting his soda on the table. "I know what that means...You're packing up, aren't you?"

"I'm afraid so," Victoria answered, slinging her bag over her shoulder. "But I'll keep what you taught me...never start a fight but know when to end it...never throw the first punch unless everything's riding on it...always give second chances...Thank you Mister Barone."

"Hey...Call me Ray," the man replied, his voice calm and warm. "Take care of yourself." Raymond turned away, and slowly removed the tacks from an old boxing poster that featured a man in a black suit with an almost feline headpiece covering most of his face. In large gold letters, "Wildcat" was printed. The boxer held one fist high in the air, taking in the spotlight above him, all the while wearing an excited, professional smile on his gruff, Italian face.

"You too, Wildcat," Tori smiled, closing the door behind her and walking out into the city as the sun set on the horizon. _Ray Barone taught me how to box when I found him. It was about a month since I ran away from home...and he seemed alot like me; down on his luck and remembering better times. Self-defense lessons only go so far when you know there are people with guns waiting around the corners..._

_ I'd never be able to stop at sparring and kick boxing...I had to go deeper; it was the only way to make the pain stop. Don't think for one second the wild cat wasn't everything I needed in a father...but the thing is, he wasn't my father. I'd lost my father long ago...and learned never to completely trust anyone ever again. Of course, I couldn't hold onto that lesson my whole life._

Victoria thrust her arm out to block the punch, then threw her foot into her opponent's stomach. Her legs tied together, the girl forced her boy up and down as the weights hindered her push-ups. "I can tell you're angry...what happened? Why did you come here?"

"Mommy!" a young Tori screamed, standing with her sister in an empty alley stained with her parent's streaming blood. The man's cold, aching fingers pressed onto the trigger, and blasted the hot, searing lead through Thomas and Martha; they never did anything wrong. That didn't stop him, though. He took them in cold blood; standing still, the man watched the smoke clear in the freezing air, and saw the broken, lifeless bodies of the little girls' parents fall to the icy cement floor of that filthy alley.

"I wanna learn self-defense," Victoria told the man, looking at the floor. A young man thrust his fist out in a hook-punch, only to have it blocked by Tori's upward arm. Quickly rebounding, the girl jolted her left elbow out, smashing the boy in the stomach.

"Good job," Ray called out from the sideline.

"Stop her! Get her money!" the young woman cried, her shrill voice cracking through the city. A teenage boy and girl, both of which had excessive piercings, rammed Victoria against the walls of an abandoned apartment. "What's she got?"

Feeling the gruff, uncaring hands grabbing at her person, the brunette swallowed her anger, and let them see; "Nothin!" the boy hollered. "Stupid kid!" The mugger's hand smacking into Tori's breast, the girl felt darkness settle over her veins, and she chopped her hand through the air, then clenched it into a fist to deliver a vicious smack into the boy's face, cracking one of his teeth. Tightening her teeth, the gang leader charged forward, and was firmly kicked by their victim. The wind was completely knocked out of the young woman, and the pain wrestled her to the floor.

"Don't quit your day job," Victoria said before going on her way that night. As the brunette departed, the one teenage girl, who never spoke during the entire event, merely watched.

As the sun's rays faded from memory, the teenager kept going, moving farther and farther from the city's lights. "Why is it you choose to travel by night?" that comforting but scathing voice asked Victoria one long year later. "That way I don't have to see what I leave behind," Tori answered, looking on the horizon.

"Do you have any idea what kind of enemy you've made?" the young man demanded, glaring directly into the white eyes staring into his. He was frantic, scared, entirely kissed with cold sweat.

"I do," Batwoman happily answered, her gruff tone as terrifying to her foes as ever. "Do you?" Letting go of the rope, Tori watched the man plummet downward with her; draped in her black wings as she dove towards the cold ground. The gangster's screams tore through the silence of the night, and were followed by a confession...

"Falcone's made bail," Victoria snarled, throwing her mask on the floor. "I don't believe it!"

"The underworld has an endless tendency to crawl out from under the stones," Alfred calmly replied. However, he knew what was coming, and he could never sit still with that. "Don't worry, Miss Vega, he shan't wander the streets for long."

"No...he won't," the brunette whispered, looking at the Bat-Wave in her black palm. Sitting alone, the teenage girl watched the flakes of snow gently fall into her exposed hands. The mountain air was cold and hard on her lungs and throat, but she didn't move.

"Embrace the pain...the numbness," the man told her, allowing himself to suffer through the same conditions. "It won't be long until you become a part of it."

"Will it still be like this?" Tori asked, her voice younger.

"Yes, but you won't," Ra's answered, watching the darkening horizon. _You will be strong...able to take more pain than you could ever give...and no longer a child, but a force._ Victoria sat still in a meditative stance; her eyes so tightly closed that they felt like delicate veils. The blows and impacts viciously collided into her back and head, but she shut them out. However, inside of her, a young girl screamed and cried.

"I'm not strong enough," Tori declared. Like a flash of lightning, the image of Thomas and Martha's death; the gunshot, the grizzly splatter of blood into the air of the cold night flashed through Victoria's mind. Suddenly, the night grew colder.

Beck gently put his arm around Jade's back as she vomited into her toilet, sounding more and more like she couldn't take it anymore. Eva had the blessing of going to bed, or so Beck thought; the child lay awake under her sheets, trying to hide the gags and sounds of her sister's agony. However, she couldn't make it all go away. Her hair attempting to pour into the white bowl, Jadeyn felt hot tears well up in her swollen eyes and slide in with her wretches. It hurt; it burned, especially when she looked back on who she was; on how strong she used to be...

Her long brown hair gliding behind her as she walked, a young Jade West and her best friend of almost a month, Catarina Valentine walked down the hallway of the first grade building, readying themselves for their last classes of the day. No one ever messed with Jade; they said she was scary, like a witch. However, most of the kids decided it would all too much fun to pick on Cat, pull her long, dark-auburn hair, take her toys from her cubby, and call her names. Not Jadeyn, though; she thought Cat was the coolest, though she didn't tell people that. Finally, one of the boys was too mean, and decided to beat up the girl who he knew cheated at kickball. Little Catarina was so small, so soft and sweet, and was bruised, cut on her little forehead, and crying with her eyes tightly closed.

"Hey!" the scary girl screamed, leaving her spot alone under the tree and angrily stomping over to the bully. "Leave her alone!" Jade slapped the boy across the face, causing him to cry and run away; far away from Cat. The dark-haired girl crouched down next to the crying child. "You okay?" she asked, her voice still very young and higher-pitched.

Cat pouted and shook her head back and forth, her eyes shut. "I'll take you to the nurse," Jade said, taking the girl's hand and leading her into the nurse's office. The brown-haired girl was so excited she didn't even think of how much the other child was hurting. "Why'd he hurt you?"

"I don't know," the auburn-haired girl screamed, her eyes welling up with tears. "Thank you, though." Jade glanced back at the little girl, who seemed so much younger than she really was.

"Do people pick on you alot?" Jadeyn asked, setting Cat down outside the office. The girl nodded, making her hair flap over her sad little face. "...I could make them stop," Jade decided. "If you want?"

"Okay," the scared little girl sobbed, feeling better with her newest friend. "Thanks, miss."

"Call me Jade," the dark-haired girl replied, her voice turning warmer. "And I'll call you Cat."

"Okay," Catarina said with a smile.

"What did you just call me?" Jade snarled, forcing the teenager against his locker. "Where do you think you have the right to say garbage like that?" Of course, the boy said nothing; as if he were in the right. She wouldn't hit him; she'd never let him get off that easily. Instead, Jadeyn forced the boy into the darkest room in the school, closed and locked the door, and listened...

Obviously, the Gothic girl's behavior wasn't tolerated, but standing up for herself and Cat was more important than a suspension. "Let me out!" the boy screamed, trying to get out of the darkness and the emptiness around him. "Ah!" Believing his captor had exited from the door she locked, the boy had no idea that Jade was right there; taking in everything the bully wished no one could hear; every scream he tried so hard to let out so that someone far off could hear, and help him. The girl began to laugh quietly. "Who's there?" Covering her mouth to block a malicious smile, Jade turned her laughter into vicious snickering.

"You didn't have to do that," Cat said as her and her friend walked down the hallway.

"He deserved it," the dark-haired girl replied, looking forward. "Besides, he's fine..." Cat was still upset, Jade could tell. "You wanted to do _what_ to my hair?" The young, auburn-haired girl smiled a huge but restricted smile, jittered through her teeth as he did a little jump into the air, then grabbed her friend's hand and rushed her into the bathroom.

The blue and pink streaks looked amazing; even Jade had to admit that. "Thanks, Kitten," she said, quickly stroking her dyed streaks down on the side.

"No problem, Jadey," Cat happily replied, giving her friend a hug. "I was thinking about changing my hair...maybe during summer, though."

"Your choice," Jade warmly replied. "Why not now?"

"You know my mom," the girl answered. "She'd have a fit." Jade nodded in a somewhat grim agreement. _I had friends...but I never needed anyone, _Jade told herself, taking a breath from tonight's ordeal.

"Hi...I'm Beck," a long-haired young man with naturally gorgeous features and a sensitive look and spirit to his face.

"Hi," Jade replied, keeping her cool, even though she was feeling something different; her heart was fluttering, her body was light, her breath was alittle heavier than usual, though she didn't really notice. "...Don't get lost here." With that, the semi-Gothic girl gave a brief smile and walked off, leaving Beck bewildered. That was in ninth grade; when they were all freshmen; _when things were so much better, even though I was too stupid to appreciate it._

Beck sat alone in the West family's living room. His once-warm and optimistic eyes gazing into nothingness, the boy thought about his relationship. He needed to love Jade; he was all she had right now. But Tori...those feelings had always been there...why did they matter so much now? Why wouldn't they go away?

_Maybe Jade's the only thing making me a good person...maybe that's why I became the Hood... _Images flashed back; desperation, loss, helplessness. Jade was dying right before his eyes; he wouldn't let that happen. He couldn't become that monster. "I live in this trailer...it's better than crashing with my parents," Beck told his lover on one of their dates. "It's not much, but it's home."

"It's cute," Jadeyn replied. Then, the two kissed, and it was perfect.

With a flash of lightning, Red Hood and Batwoman were facing off one another; hating each other, and at one another's throat. "Beck...Beck!" a voice snapped through the memories, making the boy jump. "Oh...hey, kid," he said as Eva entered the room.

"You okay?" the girl asked. "You look spacey."

"I'm okay...thanks," Beck replied. "Thanks...how's Jade doing?"

"Better," Eva answered, taking a seat on the chair across from the young man. "She's not throwing up anymore...I know she wanted you to go...but you can probably come back now."

"I'd love to," Beck continued, sounding almost hurt. "But I have to get to work at the lab...tell her 'love you,' please."

"Sure thing, Beck," the girl said. "Have fun at work." The boy chuckled at the sweet notion. "Thanks, kid," he said before departing into the cold night. _Thank heaven for Ace Chemical, _the young man said to himself as he pressed his light jacket to his neck. _And thank heaven for Jade..._

Watching his mother and father scream and shout at one another in the kitchen; trying to hide himself in the shadows of the living room, Beck started imagining a better life. Finally, he got it; when he turned fifteen, he took his parents up on their words: "You live under our house, you follow our rules." After coaxing his folks, the boy convinced them to let him pay rent on their old r.v., which he soon moved in to.

The first breakdown came in seventh grade; when everything became too much. His family was tearing itself apart, he had no friends, and everyday life was just too horrible. Clenching his hair until it nearly tore out, Beck screamed. Soon, those screams turned to tears, which faded into the water of the r.v.'s sink. "I hate my life," the boy whispered, so hurt. Finally, his parents sent him to a mental hospital.

"Please, let us stay with him," Beck's mother begged, sounding so vulnerable.

"I'm sorry," the young nurse replied, her voice sensitive. "That's not allowed...we have to get _Beck_ to tell us what's wrong with him...it's the only way he can get better. We'll take care of him...you can trust in that." Beck, teary eyed, gazed at his parents, holding his hand out to them before being gently walked away by the doctors. For so long, he didn't feel right; he didn't feel at home at all. Worst of all, he was all alone.

Dreams were horrid and laced with pure terror. Nights were long and dull due to the drugs that were supposed to help. "What started all of this? If you can tell me," one of the doctors asked. Beck shook his head, too uneasy and shy to talk. _It won't be like last time. I'm here...I'll always be here for you, _Jade told him. "...Even though I can't even be there for her," the young man whispered, taking his gloves off at the end of his shift.

Tori lay on the ground, trying to find movements or positions that didn't make her throb. Ra's did nothing but watch her; disapproving of her in every way possible. Finally, the young girl managed to get up, and looked at the man with weak eyes.

"Your strength has its limits," the master told his student. "No matter how hard you try to deny it. But I've seen you go beyond those limits...when you have something to fight for."

Tori lunged forward with the sword, knowing Ra's would block with his. The two clashed, then pressed against one another's blade. Forcing her weapon down, the girl brought her master into a vulnerable position, then lunged at him quickly. Ra's held out his arm, and absorbed the sword's glow with his spiked arm guide; the armor was thick, layered with a Gothic design, and extruded three blades to catch an opponent's blades or snare their fists. "No matter what you do, Victoria..." Tori threw her sword back, then raced towards the ma once again; he blocked her effortlessly. "You can't undo your parents' death...it wasn't your fault to begin with..." The girl tightened her eyes, violently shook a tear into the air, and continued to slash blindly at her master. "It was your father's."

"Shut up!" Victoria commanded, slashing viciously at her enemy, then pulling herself back in fear and weak constraint. Her body numb, the child kept at the fight, only to be blocked and rejected time after time. "My father did what he could!"

"But it wasn't good enough!" Ra's declared, his voice so strong an violent. "_He _wasn't enough!"

"Stop it!" Tori shouted, her voice like the scream of a little girl as she slashed down the sword at Ra's' head. The man raised his blade above his head, and the two collided; locked in time for a moment.

"The choice has been made," the man declared, his controlled again. With that, Ra's thrust his foot into Tori's chest, knocking her flat on her back. When the girl started to get up, she found her master's blade touching on her diaphragm, and a very confident look on her master's face. "Always expect the unexpected, Victoria...as your parents should have done." Ra's slid his sword into its holster, and departed from the training area.

_I know how to learn from past mistakes..._ The gruff man swung the wooden bat left and right, only to have it caught between two black blades on Batwoman's arm. Smiling, Tori thrust her fist into the man's face, knocking him out on the ground. "...But what am I fighting for?...Right now, to stop Falcone." Gazing towards the sky, the woman grappled away into the night. Trina wouldn't even know her sister was out this late; she was fast asleep and concerned over her auditions.

It wasn't that long after the Vega family moved to California that Katrina changed. Then, when Tori left, there was on reason for her to hold onto her old self. Thankfully for her, the older of the orphaned sisters had the talent needed to attend Hollywood Arts, which pacified her desire for fame for awhile. However, the child often stated that this was just the first step to her stardom.

Alfred tried to keep Trina down to earth, but she didn't want his advice on this. Still, he tried; just as he did with Thomas, and as he would continue to do for his family. Seventeen years he worked for the Vega family...now he was the father of his charge's children. One of which had dropped off the face of the earth.

"Who is that?" one of the women on the street screamed.

"...I'm your worst nightmare," the Batwoman answered, gazing at the criminals under the cover of night.


	15. Happy Birthday

Batwoman: Victorious

Chapter Fourteen: Happy Birthday

"Tell me about your parents, Miss Vega," Hugo Strange said, his deep, accented voice calm and patient as he held his clipboard in hand. "Which were you closest to?"

"My mom, I think," Tori answered, staring at the ceiling as she lay down on the long red chair in Strange's warm, home-like office. "She'd always let me sit with her when I couldn't sleep at night...since Dad was a doctor, she was the one who was around the most."

"Was your father's absence ever a problem for you or your sister?" the doctor asked, taking a deep interest.

"No," Victoria answered in a sweet, unsuspecting voice. "He was always there when we needed him, you know? He cared about us, put Mom, Trina, and I first...I remember when he took a week off work...all because I had the chicken pox..." Feeling her throat start to swell, the girl began to giggle; remembering her parents' love. "And then Trina got sick...and Mom moved our sheets and blankets onto the pull-out couch so we could all take naps together..." Hugo smiled as he took more notes.

_October 9th_

"I know, right?" Beck replied to Jade's comment as they entered her house. "Why are all the light's out?" Suddenly, every light in the living room turned on, revealing red, green, blue, and yellow streamers, balloons, and Tori, Trina, Andre', Cat, and Eva, all of which were wearing pointed party hats and cheering for the birthday boy. Andre' and Katrina were blowing on paper horns.

"Aw man, thanks guys!" Beck exclaimed. "My gosh!"

"Happy eighteenth, man," Andre' called out, walking over to Beck and putting his arm around his shoulder. "Now don't go dying on us, old man." The two chuckled, especially when considering the fact that Andre' was actually the older of the two.

"Hopefully this won't affect our relationship," Jade added, jokingly gasping. Beck laughed, growing uneasy with all this attention.

"Seriously, guys, this is awesome," the young man said, giving Jade a hug. "How long were you planning this?"

"Long enough," the semi-Gothic girl answered with joking confidence. "And this way you won't even have to clean up." The two smiled at one another for an instant.

"Here you go, Beck," Eva excitedly cried out, holding a gift up to the young adult's face and smiling innocently. "Thanks, kid," Beck replied warmly, giving Jade's younger sister a hug. "Come on..." The girl took Beck's hand, and began to run forward. "Blow out your candles!" Jade and Cat giggled at the younger West girl's cuteness.

"Make a wish," Tori instinctivly squeaked. For just a second; a brief second, the young man glanced up at Victoria, and caught himself staring for a lifetime. Turning his bewildered glance into an excited smile, the boy blew out his candles, sending a whisp of smoke into the air. Everyone in the room clapped, and Jade quickly gave her lover a kiss.

"Who needs wishes when they're with you?" Beck whispered in his girlfriend's ear, feeling her hair grace his cheeks.

"Here, open mine first," Cat shrieked, giving Beck a blue box wrapped with an aqua-colored bow on its top. Katrina took a seat, and watched the young man open his presents, and caught something in his eye for a split second.

After about two hours, the guests began disbanding, and the mood was growing tired. "Happy birthday, Beck," Catarina said, giving the eighteen-year-old a big, friendly hug, which he responded to accordingly. "Night, Cat. Thanks for coming." _Too bad Robbie couldn't be here. too..._

"See yuh, Kitten," Jade added, warmly embracing her close friend. "Bye, Jadey," Cat quietly replied, enjoying the warmth of the hug.

"Happy birthday, man," Andre' said, snapping his friend's hand into a full-hearty shake. "Thanks, bud," Beck replied with a warm voice.

"Thanks for coming, Andre'," the Gothic girl said, her tone sounding less sincere than before. "Thanks for letting us into your house," the young man smiled, his voice kind and genuine as ever. "Night everybody."

"Night, bud," Tori called out, giving a quick wave to her friend as he departed. As always, no one knew exactly where their closest friend was going to, but didn't know to do anything.

"Happy eighteenth, Beck," Katrina said as she walked out the door. "Tori, I'll see you later, okay?"

"Sure thing, sis," Victoria called back, waving to her older sibling. "Hey...happy birthday, Beck. Great party, Jade." Beck held his arms out, much to Jade's terror, and was granted the same gesture from Tori. After spending the appropriate amount of time in a friendly embrace, the two parted, and Tori began to walk away, innocent. "Thanks, Jade."

"Night, Vega," Jade replied, actually sounding friendly under all of her sarcasm.

"Oh, Tori, wait," Beck called out, walking up to the brunette. "Can I talk to you outside for a minute?" Jade glanced over at the two for a second; she wasn't stupid, but at the same time, she was tired (mind, body, and spirit), and trusted Beck. Things were different than they used to be.

"Sure," Victoria innocently answered, leading the boy outside. Then, in that one instant, everyone else seemed to disappear. The night swallowed everything. However, this wasn't just a lapse in discretion or an impulse; this had meaning. This was real, forbidden, this was a pain and a gift bled into one painful entity.

"Um...hey, I know this is out of nowhere," the young man began, his voice low, slightly scraggled by his effort to keep himself hushed, and vulnerable. "But...it's just..." Tori watched Beck closely. She was Jade's friend (or at least trying to be), Beck's friend; the group had been like this since she came to Hollywood Arts at the end of Sophomore year. She'd seen him break down...seen him love Jade..._Could I change that? No! I can't! I'm Batwoman! I'm not some stupid, lovesick little girl...what's wrong with me? Nothing's permanent... especially not this._

"Um...man," the young man nervously laughed at himself. _I don't even know...there's no reason to think that, _Tori thought, growing more and more uneasy. "This is gonna sound so stupid...but...I have had a crush on you for so long...I don't even know why I'm telling you." _What the hell am I doing? _Beck asked himself, not understanding or even fathoming the situation he was entering into. _I got the job at Ace to help Jade...I don't have to be the Hood anymore...why am I making problems for myself? Because I'm a horrible, stupid, ungrateful idiot who's cheating on his girlfriend while she's dying..._

"Because maybe you're hoping I'll love you back," Victoria answered, starting to lose herself. _What the hell am I doing? _she asked herself. _Being a monster...turning on my friend while she's dying._ Silence broke in, filling everything. Then, to seal everything they never wanted to touch on, Tori and Beck leaned in and kissed one another's lips, making this the ultimate offense. Jade would never suspect anything; her and Beck's relationship had gone beyond deception...lies, flaws between them.

The kiss was magical; maybe dark magic. Beck and Tori forced themselves closer, then opened and closed their lips against one another's. Suddenly, they pulled apart and let go. "Wow," the two seemed to harmonically whisper. Around the two, darkness was spreading.

"You'd better get inside," Victoria said, her voice uncertain. "...Sorry." With that, the teenager ran off. Beck stood behind for a moment, though he caught himself staring for what seemed like a lifetime. _How...how could one kiss make me such a horrible person? _the girl asked herself as she ran. Her throat began to hurt, and her eyes began to burn with tears. _I shouldn't have...why do I keep being so stupid? Why do I keep hurting myself...Why other people?_

Beck casually walked into the West home, having shaken off his flustered state (at least for now), and walked over to his girlfriend. "Thanks so much," he said with a warm voice. "I wouldn't doubt it if you're the only one who remembered." Jade opened her arms warmly, and Beck entered. Preparing herself for a kiss, the girl only felt the boy's soft, smooth hair gently sweeping her neck, where Beck's head now rested. Caught off guard for a minute, Jade soon understood, and lay her head against her lover's shoulder. All the while, Eva lay asleep on the couch; so innocent. Never the one at fault thanks to her loving, pure nature. Maybe Beck caught at glance of her; maybe he didn't. Maybe he felt himself becoming jealous of her for that instant; maybe he didn't. He got what he wanted...an outlet for his love...how did any of this make sense? How was it that easy, though it hurt so much?

_What is wrong with me? _Tori demanded of herself as she ran down the road. The night was growing colder. _I'm acting like a little whore...like the other woman...How could I do this to Jade...to my friends...to myself? _

"So what do you intend to do?" Alfred asked, sounding patient, understanding, and unbiased as usual. The man set down the glass he was drying, and looked at the back of his charge's head.

"...I don't know," Tori answered. "I don't even know why I did it in the first place. I am such a jerk..."

"Not the words I would have chosen," the Englishman said, sitting down in front of the teenager. "...You were impulsive...you were selfish...but you were true to your emotions and to yourself...but there's other things going on, Miss Victoria..." Alfred looked calmly at the girl, who was obviously hurting. "Beck knows that you care...do what you think is right." Alfred rose up, though Tori just sat still, pondering what her father figure said to her.

"Okay," the brunette softly whispered, staring blindly at the table. It was obvious she had no choice. Not through Alfred's eyes. Maybe Jade deserved to have this special thing in her life...maybe Beck was wrong to betray her... _Give it up..._

Batwoman stood on the corner of a Gothic-styled building, letting the fresh rain pour down on her body as she gazed down at the city. Her black-gloved claws clenching the Bat-Wave, Tori awaited a sign; a vibration; anything. _What's wrong with me?...Falcone's loose on the streets, and I'm obsessing over something as stupid as a relationship._

The black insignia of the bat glistened in the lights of the surrounding buildings and the lightning. Thunder crackled viciously, and the black veil flowed freely behind her. Suddenly, the Bat-Wave began to pulsate, and Victoria's eyes shot down to look at the bat emblem flashing with bars of light. "Robbery and Assault in progress." Gazing down at the tiny machine before her, Victoria slowly raised her head. "He's looking for me," she whispered in a gruff, hushed voice. An intense wind began to blow as images of the warehouse incident flashed in the teen's mind; the bullets, the blood, the smell of the sewer in the dead of night. Then, the images ended, and the Batwoman remained still. A smile crept across Victoria's face.

"Freeze! Hands in the air!" the near-elderly officer screamed, holding a pistol to the thug.

"No, man, drop the gun!" one of the men called out, his bald head lined with scratches. The shot gun in his hand was loaded and waiting for a victim. "Hands in the air!" he mocked. Suddenly, the man gasped, and seemed to soar into the darkness above him. Then, he dropped down, followed by his emptied gun. The police looked around for some explanation, but found nothing.

"Did they shoot him?" one of the criminals asked, keeping his voice to a whisper.

"I didn't hear a gunshot," another man answered. "One guess who our guest is..." Smoke exploded into the room, drenching everyone inside. "I can't see!" "Grab your guns!" One of the gangsters felt a crushing grasp on his chest, and was then forced out a broken window. Unable to support his weight, Batwoman merely let the man fall onto a fire escape, creating a noise that attracted the attention of some nearby police.

"She's here!" one of the female criminals screamed. "Shoot out the windows!" Resting on a ledge, Batwoman watched the glass shatter onto the street. Clenching her eyes, Tori thrust a shining black Batarang at the building, letting it curve and flip in the wind. With great force, the boomerang smashed into the face of one of the thugs, knocking him hard onto the cold ground. "What happened?" Smoke continued to filter out of the building, leaving the gang partially blinded.

_I can handle this..._Victoria told herself, watching the criminals lose their composure, disband, throw their guns down in fear, then run right into the police. _I've trained to handle this...I was trained to handle myself...but I always failed that lesson, overall. And look who has to suffer for it...Jade._

"If your boss is so interested in seeing me," Batwoman called out, letting her cape shield her as the wind blew it like flames of an ominous fire. The criminals and police officers gazed up at the building, and saw the almost-ghostly white eyes glaring down at them. "Tell him to make an appointment." With that, the Batwoman slid into the darkness, and vanished.

"My gosh," one of the officers declared, feeling his heart pound in fear.

Jade lay in her bed. She was still; her breaths gentle and slow, and her hair thrown over her face and pillow. Eva had fallen asleep by her bedside, knelt down on her knees and holding her big sister's hand. "Excuse me, Ms. West," Tori said, keeping her voice down. "I know it's late, and that she's been sick, but could I talk to Jade really quick, please?"

"Okay, sweetie," Jade's mother answered, her voice sweet. "But not too long, okay?"

"Thank you," the brunette replied with a slight smile. Keeping her footsteps as quiet as possible, Victoria finally made it up to Jade's room. Seeing the poor girl asleep, seeing her little sister resting by her side, Tori swallowed hard, and walked closer. Kneeling down at her friend's bedside, the girl took in a deep, trembling breath. Jade was so still; like a pure little doll. Hoping and praying that she didn't wake up, Tori took a single, guilt-filled second to remember all the times she and Jade shared; the bullying, which turned to an outright love/hate friendship...how Jade used to "force herself" to help her with homework, how she helped Jade and Beck get back together...and how all of that turned out. More recently, Jade had become more reluctant of any friendship with Victoria...maybe the resentment had always been there, but Jadeyn kept it hidden so well. Now, any chance of a true friendship lasting was dead. "I'm sorry," the brunette whispered, feeling her eyes getting hot and moist. "...I'm not doing it to hurt you...I don't know what's wrong with me...it-it's not going to last, it can't...but I just...I have all these feelings..." It was growing harder to fight back tears. "I know I can't have it, and that this is yours and Beck's, but...he seems like he cares about me, and I think I like him back, and...and it just...it feels right...I am so sorry." Tears began to slide down Victoria's cheeks, burning her soft, tender face. "Please don't hate me..." Jade was motionless in her sleep. Sucking in a shaking, heavy breath, the brunette swallowed hard once again, and slowly, gently pulled the sheet up and around Jade's neck in an effort to keep her warm. "...So sorry..."

"You alright?" Beck asked Tori the next day, mere minutes before his shift at Ace Chemicals started.

"Yeah, it's just..." Tori began, sounding nervous. "I feel like we rushed this...I don't feel right."

"We can be okay..." the young man said, fighting his own guilt. "We care about each other...we can be what a couple is supposed to be..." Then, Tori caught herself; she wasn't uneasy. She wasn't threatened. She was happy; content with this; content with being with Beck, as more than friends.

"...Okay," the brunette happily accepted. Then, the two leaned in closer, and kissed one another's lips. The guilt all too soon melted away around the feeling that everything was right and at peace. Overhead, a swarm of black bats flapped their wings and screeched under the scarlet painting of a setting sun in the sky of Los Angeles.


	16. Choosing Friends

Batwoman: Victorious

Chapter Fifteen: Choosing Friends

_All my life, I've chosen my allies carefully...No, I started choosing after my parents died. I learned the hard way that people change; important relationships don't last, and nothing is permanent._ Victoria walked down the hallway and into her bathroom. Turning the hot water on, the young woman felt the beads hit her back and soak her long, brown hair. _Crispus Allen...my friends. Actually, I think my friends chose me._

"His name's Gerald Carter," Batwoman informed the old man, throwing the picture on his desk. "Based on his choice of friends, I think Arkham should take him into custody... Not Iron Heights." Amadeus Arkham looked at his secret ally, then nodded in agreement. Outside, the night's sky chilled over the two.

_I've taken time...done research...went over consequences and the negative effects of my very presence in their lives...but now, here I am..._ Beck and Tori pressed their lips shut into one another's, keeping their eyes closed. _I've taken the risk I swore myself off of...done something so stupid, so selfish...Meanwhile, Jade's dying alone, waiting for her so-called boyfriend to come over. And I'm supposed to be her friend._ "I'm so glad we're together," Beck confessed to his lover. "You make me feel normal. Like I fit in."

Inside, Victoria felt warm, and smiled within her own mind. "Thank you," she whispered. "..." _I love you..._ "I'm glad we...you know, found each other. That we're all friends, but we have more." Beck smiled, gently stroked Tori's hair, then kissed her lips one last time. "...Are you sure Jade's gonna be okay?" _She's gonna be crushed and betrayed...all because of me...no matter what he tells me, I know it won't change anything._

"...She'll be okay," Beck weakly replied, as if trying to convince himself. "Oh, man...Sorry, I've gotta get to the hospital. Sorry."

"No, you're fine," Tori answered. "Love you." The brunette gave her forbidden lover one last kiss, then watched him uneasily depart from her. With a grizzly gust of wind, the Batwoman's cape blew as she stood atop a large building, reading the Bat-Wave's signals.

"What am I doing?" Victoria asked herself, not taking her eyes off the small machine. "I can't do this...I shouldn't be going by my emotions...this is so wrong... Jade's your friend...and you're stabbing her in the back while she's dying...Mom and Dad'd be so proud..." _But why does this feel so right? Why does he seem to care about me as much as I care about him?_ Suddenly, rings of energy began to flow in the teenager's device. Broken out of her self-loathing, Tori looked over the information before her. "...My gosh," she exclaimed. Leaping off the building, Batwoman began gliding towards the scene of the crime.

Under the crimson-dyed night sky, the artificial wings of a bat soared down towards a screaming crowd. "A giant bat!" one of the young men shouted, looking at the grizzly, blood-soaked animal flapping its torn wings in the sky. "Get down!" a middle-aged woman cried, feeling a lump form in her throat. "Shoot it!" a petrified teenager screamed. "Please!"

"Scarecrow's back," Tori informed Alfred over her ear piece. "She's poisoned an entire city block."

"Happy Halloween, Bats!" Paige exclaimed, leaping down and pressing a gas mask into Batwoman's face. A cloud of fear toxin sprayed out into the teenager's nostrils and throat. Losing her composure, Tori fell to the ground, her shoulder smashing into a dumpster. Scarecrow began laughing. "Feeling scared, little girl?" Batwoman glared at her opponent for a second, and saw a melting, fiery-eyed face laughing at her.

"Old tricks don't work, Paige," the young woman gruffly cried out. Lunging forward, Batwoman felt her body cripple in terror. "Ah..." Millions of insects began to crawl out from windows, trash cans, and skeletons lining the dirty streets. Scarecrow's taunting words and laughter filled Tori's ears.

"That's why I gave you a concentrated dose, Batwoman," the criminal happily answered, her voice ranging from a cackle to a deep, demonic growl. "Enjoy watching your sanity slip away."

"Don't count on it!" Tori cried, thrusting her fist into Paige's stomach, knocking her onto the ground.

"Ah," Paige moaned, melting into the ground. "You don't want to play with me anymore? Have I gotten that tired?" Reduced to bone, Scarecrow fell silent, leaving Batwoman alone.

Scared, paranoid, and uneasy with everything, Victoria shot her head back and forth, taking in abrupt, rough gasps. Her heart pounding, the young woman scanned her surroundings. _Calm down, Tori, _the teenager told herself. Suddenly, things around her began to slow. Her eyes gently closed. _The League taught you how to control your fear...even when drugged... _Shooting her eyes open, Batwoman searched for Scarecrow, found nothing, then grappled onto a nearby building. Pressing onto her communicator, the girl began to feel relief. "Alfred...I need you to pick me up...I'll meet you at the Hollywood Arts parking lot...Thank you." Shakingly, Tori dropped her hand, and made her way towards the school.

Meanwhile, Paige threw open the door to her apartment, nervously shut the door, locked it in two places, switched on the dead bolt, then pulled the chain into its metal groove. Taking terrified glances back, the girl made her way up the stairs and into her dark living room. Every one of the windows was boarded up; all to keep the monsters and criminals out. Her breath slowly returning to normal. "It's okay...it's okay," Paige whispered to herself. Hanging her rags and mask up in her small closet, the girl wrapped herself up in a blanket, sat on the couch, and tried to calm down to achieve afew hours of sleep. Ever since the injection...ever since her arrest in Arkham, she was paranoid; afraid of everything. Fear, which had been the most engrossing of all dugs was now a pain...a burden on her entire existence. Shaking, Paige pulled the blanket closer to her chest, wearing it like a hood. "Not tonight...I will consume you, Batwoman," she swore under her sharp breaths. "I'll make you bathe in your own fear..." _Just like I am..._ Hours passed, and the teenager slowly drifted into slumber. Images flashed in her mind; the escape from the asylum, the dogs, the inmates screaming. Sinjin and his rage...Medication dulled the nightmares, but never stopped them. Tears began to well up in Paige's eyes.

Alfred watched the road, then Victoria through the rear-view mirror. The young woman's eyes were closed, her head bobbed from side to side, as if she was suffering from a nightmare. Then, she opened her eyes, and began shooting looking behind her back. "Alfred," she said, sounding uneasy. "...Thank you...where are we? Did...anyone follow us?"

"Miss Victoria, everything is going to be okay," the Englishman warmly replied. "You told me the Fear Toxin was concentrated...I can administer the last of the antidote, but you will have to let it run its course." Victoria shot her head back, looking at all the cars behind her. "There is nothing to fear, Miss Victoria...you're safe." Nodding weakly, the young woman lay back in her seat, and closed her eyes again. Suddenly, a vicious flash of light struck just outside the window, snapping Tori out of her daze.

Gently stroking her hand over her damp forehead, the young woman looked left and right, then began tighten up her arms and legs; trying to protect herself. _Scared little girl; that's all I am now, _Tori thought to herself. A cold chill began to melt down her spine. "Alfred, please hurry," she begged, her heart beginning to pound.

"Yes, ma'am," Alfred warmly replied, his own fear and concern showing in his voice. "Just know, you _will_ be alright."

Wrapping herself up tightly, Tori bound her body in a fetal position in her bed. Shivering and perspiring, the teenager cringed her teeth. Her hair was scattered on the pillow, and her eyes shut to keep out all the terrors.

"What happened to her?" Trina asked, trying to fight off the tears that came far too easily now. "I took her temperature...not good."

"The doctors have already treated her, Miss Katrina," the Englishman assured his trust. "Victoria should recover in a matter of hours." Tori shook and wined to herself.

"Please be okay, angel," Katrina whispered to her baby sister, kissing her on her hot, sweat-covered forehead. "Love you." Tori mumbled something in a desperate tone.

"She'll be okay," Alfred whispered, taking the young woman's cold, clammy hand. "Now, Miss Victoria, if you should need anything, ring your bell, and I will come running." Trina hid her face on her butler's shoulder. Alfred's strength was waning; despite everything he'd seen his young charge go through, whether as Batwoman or Tori Vega, he still worried. However, if there was one thing he'd learned over the years, it was that he was all but powerless with things like this. _Please, let the antidote work, _the Englishman begged to himself. With that, the two reluctantly departed.

Tori thrust herself to one side, then rolled onto her back. Her breath was furious, her heart pounding, and her body covered in cold sweat. Clenching her sheets, the teenager felt waves of heat flow down her entire body.

"What happened to her?" Trina asked, trying to keep her trembling voice down.

"...She's having a severe reaction to something," Alfred reluctantly lied. As always, the Englishman kept his voice as assuring as possible, no matter how much it hurt him. "I pray the medicine works soon." An agonizing lump began to swell up in the man's throat. "Please, Miss Katrina, let's allow Victoria to sleep." Katrina nodded, and allowed her beloved butler to escort her into the living room.

Her cool, damp hands clenching into fists, Victoria rolled onto her side, breathing heavily. "Beck," she whispered with an almost choked voice. With a sharp sigh, the girl turned onto her right side, and saw her parents standing alone; their faces hidden by shadows. Maybe Beck was standing between them and their daughter. Her heart pounding, Victoria pulled the sheets up to her neck as her teeth firmly clenched together. Beads of sweat began to slide down her cheeks, passing over her lips and down her neck. "I'm sorry..." Suddenly, a rush of cold wind coursed through her body, and she woke up to see a dark figure standing before her. "...Jade?" the terrified young woman asked, her wet hair covering her face and blocking her eyes. Silently, fearlessly, the strange being walked closer; her image hidden by shadows. "Jade, is that you? Are you okay?"

Stepping just in front of Tori's face, the strange visitor's face was revealed; skin as white as snow, as sickly as a dying child's, her hair rough and course, the tired, worn, blood-shot eyes of an insomniac, a collection of decaying patches that displayed fresh blood, and that aura...that aura that only one person had; It was Jade West. "Tori," she whispered with a choked, weak, desperate but darkly satisfied voice. "Why didn't you help me? Why did you take him from me?...He was all I needed to die happy...but you wouldn't have that...You could've even saved me...but you didn't...You just sat by with Beck...kissing him, loving him. Only because he was mine...because your money and name didn't give him to you. I tried to be your friend...and you let me die."

"No...It wasn't like that," the brunette gasped, feeling her body flow over with fearful sweat. "You're not dead, you didn't even know about...I didn't do it to hurt you!" Tori's voice broke down into weakness. "I'm sorry! I take it back...I'm sorry. I shouldn't have done it...but he just..." Jade's gaze remained still upon the teenager's pitiful body. "This wasn't supposed to happen...Please..." Jade lifted her hands, and placed them on Victoria's cheeks; her palms were rough and torn, her fingers icy and gored.

"You killed me," Jade's dying voice whispered; undertoned with a deep, demonic declaration.

"Noooo!" Victoria screamed, forcing her body up, throwing her sheets off, and grasping the blankets with all her strength. Her throat burned with a white-hot numbness, and her eyes were so wide they throbbed. Alfred and Trina ran into the dark room, and tried to hold the teenager down. Struggling violently and crying out, Tori fought off her loved ones; fighting to escape from the horrible vision before her. "Jade, no! I'm sorry! This wasn't supposed to happen! I'm sorry! I'm sorry!"

"Miss Victoria, please," Alfred begged. Despite the calming words, Tori kept fighting, growing more and more forceful and scared.

"Tori!" Trina hollered, taking both of her sister's hands. "Tori! Stop!" Pushing her butler aside, the older of the Vega sisters pressed herself closer to her little sibling, then quickly embraced her in a hug. Victoria screamed, cried, and flailed her arms in the air, but Katrina held on tightly. Her eyes closed, the young woman gently stroked down her young sister's hair. "Sssh," she whispered, keeping herself calm. "Sssh." Tori's movements began to slow. Gasping out tears and choking breaths, the younger girl soon found herself growing calm in her sister's arms. "Sssh," Trina whispered one more time before setting Tori down. "Everything's okay." Fighting off the last of her tears, the younger brunette nodded, then closed her eyes and turned to her side.

"Thanks," Tori whispered to her loved ones. "I'm sorry..."

Alfred took his charge's hand, as did Katrina. "We will stay by your side if you desire," the Englishman suggested. Out of breath, and still so afraid, Tori gave a big nod. "Thank you," she croaked out, not letting go of her family's hands.

Jade and Beck sat next to one another, gently holding the others hand. "I'm so glad I have you," Jade mumbled, half asleep and weary from her nightly episode. "Tell me you love me..." As if confused, the young man looked over at his girlfriend; her hair was rough, her skin more pale than it was with Goth makeup covering it, and her eyes were so heavy they were nearly shut. Jadeyn West, the girl Beck Oliver met and loved for over 2 years, was withering right before him. _Am I afraid of her? Is that why I turned to Tori...That's no excuse, _the young man debated to himself.

"Beck..." Jade replied, sounding upset. "Tell me you love me...please." His heart pounding, his pulse spiked to the point of physical pain, and his skin blazing over with hot sweat, Beck tried to come back. "Beck..."

"I love you," the dark-haired boy answered, although it didn't feel the same anymore. Maybe it was turning into a lie..."You're my girlfriend...and I love you every second of every day..." The lies grew worse; like repeated bites from snakes, the venom spread and thickened. Taking his lover's trembling hand, Beck gently stroked over it, trying to be a source of comfort. Jade smiled, then lay her head down on the couch. She looked so at peace while she slept. Smiling to mask all the pain and sorrow, Beck slowly, carefully pulled his hand out of his lover's, gently contorted it into a fist, got up from the couch, and walked away. Outside, the night was cold.

Come morning, the hideous aftermath began; Tori's body was cold, her eyes swollen and blood-shot, and every body part was weak. Beck struggled to wake himself up: finally opening his eyes at about three in the afternoon. Both of the teenager's felt drenched and saturated by their deeds. Jade didn't call, but that was understandable. Trina and Alfred sat with Tori all day, trying to keep her calm so she may achieve some sleep the following night. Wiping a tear from his eye, Beck remained sitting in his bed, looking out his trailer window at the city. The sun was so weak, but he couldn't get up, anyway. Tori cried, forcing a blush of red over her entire face. Her eyes were strained with the pressure of her agony, and her veins had tightened. Trying to breathe through the thick strings of saliva stuck to her mouth, the girl felt her big sister move her locks out of her eyes. Scarecrow's fear toxin was wearing off, but the visions it caused were still so horrid. _I can't tell them, _Tori thought, growing so ashamed of herself. That made everything so much worse. _I let her down..._Beck told himself, resting his face in his palm; letting his arm support the weight of his head, his fingers running up his long locks. _And I'm keeping it up right now...She's alone, and I'm just sitting here like a bum. _Victoria breathed in, trying to see through tear-soaked eyes. Alfred wiped away one of the falling droplets. _I've ruined it all, _Tori told herself. Her breath grew so heavy. ..._What the hell am I doing? _Beck and Victoria both asked themselves, only to break down once again at the mere thought of it.

_Still unsure...of what I am..._

_Of what I have become_

Jade rolled onto her side, and let in some fresh breaths. Her body was clammy and weak, but she knew Beck would give her some solace...later, maybe.

_Here I am..._

_Where's my feelings?_

_Bleeding ourselves_

_Still unsure...of what I am_

_What have I become?_

Clenching the Bat-Wave in her hand, Victoria shook, and prayed to herself that everything would be okay; that the bullets would stop, that the Batwoman could fade into the shadows and never come back...that Jade would be back to normal, even if she hated everything Tori Vega was. "I can't do this..." the young woman whispered to herself, clenching her eyes shut while tightly covering the Bat-Wave with her fingers. "Sorry, Alfred..."

_I've never felt..._

_So alone..._

_I'm so close, but what have I become..._

Sitting so close to his phone, Beck merely remained still. The sky faded into a dull crimson sunset, but the boy did not move. Nothing was right. Not even a break down could change anything in his life now.

_To get my way_

_Into darkness..._

_So can you tell me..._

_What have I become?_

Hours passed, but things only remained as they were...no victory...only the continuing inevitability of defeat. It hurt so badly, but it was numb. The chills...maybe that was what the world was turning into...at least for Tori.

Standing on a ledge, Scarecrow watched the city slowly fill with fear; with chaos. Finally, laughing like a wicked clown, Paige accepted her victory. "She can't stop me now," the girl whispered, clenching her clawed hand. "I am victorious...I am fear." Those words scared her so much...but it felt so good to bathe in terror. _I can still see myself before...before I realized what fear was...now, I'm crippled within it. _Her face morphing into a twisted, sinister smile behind her grungy mask, Paige gazed down at the terrified people below her.

Making her way forward, a young woman clad in a dark cowl and cape staggered from side to side. Her heart pounding, her pulse spiking so hard it hurt, and her forehead slowly soaking over with fearful, icy, hidden sweat, the girl walked through alleys, blocks, and the naked lights of the city. Cries and screams tore into her ears, causing her to jerk to her side. _Fight it...fight yourself, _she whispered, trying to keep her mind stable. _Don't...break._ Stepping in a puddle, a hiss shouted out, beginning a horrid swarming of filthy, oily worms that began crawling up the girl's leg. Her emotions pooling together into a frightened fit, the young woman began clawing at the grotesque creatures, ripping them in half, feeling their flesh grease up against her own. "Stop it!" she screamed, her voice gruff and filled with fear. Her ankles were raw, but the insects wouldn't stop. _They're not real..._she told herself. _You're not going to stop until you're gored down to the bone...let it go._ Forcing herself to overlook the illusions, the black-clad teenager persisted onward, even as the worms chewed and slobbered all over her tender, raw skin. Faces molded out of the walls, screaming right in the girl's face. Hollering in terror, the poor child fell on her knees. "I'm not afraid!" she boldy cried out, her voice gruff and without any essence of personality. "...This doesn't make me crazy..."

The gunshots fired, and the hot blood splattered on Batwoman's face and chest, freezing her in her tracks. "Mom...Dad!" she cried, losing her composure. "I'm sorry! ...I can't stop for them." Forcing the metal claws out of the tips of her gloves, Victoria pressed into the brick wall, and slowly carried herself upward. Bricks melted and bled downward, but Tori still held on. At last, she reached the roof, and stood behind Scarecrow; the teenager was too preoccupied with her labors to notice any of her surroundings...Or maybe she was too afraid to use her senses. For a second, the air was silent: screams and hollers drained out from around the roof. _It's in my blood...I can fight this...but I don't think she can..._ Silently leaping forward, the Batwoman smashed into Paige, knocking the two masked figures off the building.

"What are you doing?" three evil voices called out from the Scarecrow's mask. "You're going to kill us both!...What are you?"

"I am vengeance..." Batwoman snarled. Her teeth gritting together, and the lights of fires illuminating her dark, Gothic armor, Tori held herself in a freefall. Wind coursing down her face and cape, Victoria felt a pure rush; viciously falling. "I am the night... and I am Batwoman!" Unable to control herself, Paige screamed, cried, and hollered. Images blurred and bled together, then began twirling in a dark vortex.

"No! Please, stop! Stop it, I'm afraid!" Scarecrow finally admitted. "I'm afraid! Please!" Suddenly, Victoria threw out her cape, letting the two drop onto a pile of crates in an alley. Slowly rising within the darkness, draped in her black cape, the Batwoman faced down her opponent. Paige cringed, then rolled into a fetal position. "You're too late this time..." she shakingly stuttered out. "My fear toxin is driving everyone in this town mad...they're killing each other as the gas kills them...some victory for you, isn't it?"

"Actually...it is," Tori confidently answered. The torn edges of her cape began to levitate, then morphed into black flames. An evil smile formed from her white eyes and scarcely visible mouth. "The city should be coming back to their senses as we speak...I learned your trick...now, I'm going to use it against you." Opening its mouth wide enough to swallow the villain, the Batwoman lunged forward, sending Scarecrow into a screaming fit.

Jerking from side to side, Paige felt the tight straps holding her down to the gurney as the paramedics and police officers took her away. Once the crowds had died down, Chris turned around. "I don't know how you do it...and even though we all owe you our lives, you can't keep this up," he said, seemingly to nothing. "You're a wanted vigilante...whether the local hospitals take your advice or not."

"All that matters is that everyone got the cure in time," a gruff, female voice answered.

"This is the first time I've ever been satisfied with what the two of us have accomplished," Crispus Allen proudly added, keeping his calm composure.

"...Our alliance has to end here..." _For your sake. _The voice sounded so sure, so calm, and premeditated.

"Maybe it should've ended before," the African-American officer responded. "...But I'm glad it didn't." Allowing a small smile to form on her face, the Batwoman grappled off into the sky, and disappeared. Tucking his hand into his pocket, the man looked down, smiled for a second, then let out a sigh of relief; a sigh that reflected how grateful he was to have someone else save the day, then disappear before any form of complication arose.

"Are you sure about this, Miss Victoria?" Alfred asked, placing the lighter under the article of paper.

"Positive," Tori answered. "If there's one thing I've learned...it's that you need to know when to say goodbye...No matter how good it seems to hang on..." Victoria set fire to the contact information the police officer had given her, then threw it into the fireplace to watch it dissipate. _Now if only I knew how to let Beck go...Maybe I haven't learned anything, afterall. _"I never got the chance to tell you and Trina...thanks for taking care of me," the teenager concluded, not looking away from the flames. "And I think the antidote saved everyone affected by the fear gas...looks like you saved the day again, Alfred."

The elderly man smiled. "I appreciate the gesture, Miss Victoria," he said with a warm smile. "But you are the one who managed to subdue the monster...Although I do not approve of you going out while still recovering...I am proud of you. How did you manage it this time? Despite my better judgment, I must confess I had my doubts about."

"So did I," Victoria answered, taking a seat on the couch. The girl looked at the night's sky through the thin lenses of her glasses. "But I think Scarecrow felt the same way...she never noticed the small dose of gas I sprayed in the air before we went down...Paige is an expert at phobias...but she doesn't know anything about her own. The thing she chose to base her life around...wound up taking her over." Victoria's attitude seemed improved, and Alfred smiled for an instant. However, Tori couldn't. Beck held Jade's hand that night, and didn't let go, even as she slept. Cat and Tori passed by the West's house, then kept walking; maybe this was the way it should have been: Tori and Cat, doing what they could and never coming in between others. Eva watched her sister, and thanked Heaven she wasn't crying anymore.

At the end of the night, the Batwoman stood alone on a rooftop, looking over the city, but remaining silent. _The thing she chose to base her life around...wound up taking her over..._

_Song featured_

_What Have I Become by Deva_


	17. Day of Recovery

_First in the Series of Times to Reconcile_

Batwoman: Victorious

Chapter Sixteen: Day of Recovery

"I know it was years ago, Miss Victoria," Hugo Strange began. "But can you recall what you felt the night your parents died?" Tori looked down at the ground, letting her long, brown hair cover her face as the painful memories forcibly surfaced.

"Terrified..." the young woman answered, her cracking voice grave and hurt. "Furious...lost. That's the way I've been feeling ever since that night." Feeling her throat start to throb, Victoria swallowed her emotions, and looked her therapist in the eye. "Trina was hurt, too...but she handled it in another way."

"You're the only topic of these sessions, Victoria," Strange cut in, jotting something down. "It may not seem like an appropriate way of thinking for you, but it's for the best. Now please...have any habits come directly from your parents' murder?"

"...I've kept to myself, stopped trusting people," Tori choked out. Images of her and Beck's lips enlocking under the guise of darkness began to burn in the teenager's mind. "... I started keeping secrets." Hugo looked at his patient for a second, seeming to have lost his cold composure. However, the man turned back to his notes, leaving Tori to pretend to hide her welling tears.

"I need to improve the suit, Alfred," the brunette announced, setting the bullet-proof vest on her dresser. "Criminals keep stepping up...If I want to make any difference, I need to go all-out...especially with Falcone back on the streets."

"What did you have in mind, Miss Victoria?" the Englishman asked, picking up the gray Batsuit and noticing the areas damaged by gunfire.

"Mr. Fox," Victoria began, mapping something out on a piece of paper. "The man my dad worked with...didn't he used to make armor suits?"

"Yes, I believe so," Alfred answered. "But what excuse would he have to personally design such a suit for a teenager?"

"Just the fact that I've spotted enhanced armor on Falcone's men," the young woman answered without so much as a breath of delay. "Vega Enterprise has some military connections...the more equipped they are, the better the rest of us..."

"My apologies for interrupting," the girl's butler said, his tone humble. "But until you are of age, Miss Victoria, you have no control over your parents' corporation."

"_I _don't, Alfred," Tori replied."But the Batwoman has some friends in high places. If the boys at Vega Labs see the need, they'll get on it." Flashing a secure smile to her guardian, the teen nodded, and received a matching expression in return.

After several weeks of preparation, early concepts of the armor were produced; one of which Tori managed to secure (due to a "minor error in stock-taking"). "Awesome," Tori whispered, looking at the enforced, silver plate before her. "...Wonder how it'll look in black."

"So, what've you been up to?" Katrina asked her sister, looking away from the music video on t.v. "Even for you, you've been gone alot. Boyfriend on the side?" Tori forced herself to feign laughter at the comment.

"Just homework," the younger brunette lied, setting her glasses in her pocket. "How about you?"

"Casting calls, talent sessions," Trina answered. "Just a matter of getting chosen, you know?" Victoria nodded. "...But I'd..." Victoria looked over at her sister, wearing a look of concern. "I'd trade some to know where you were most of the time." Spotting a small tear start to form in her big sister's eye, Tori felt herself start to tear into herself; her plans, aspirations, everything...

Sliding over towards her sister, jaw dropped, Tori let the silence fill the room. Slowly setting her hand on Katrina's shoulder, the brunette girl looked into the all-too familiar brown eyes before her, and felt her own eyes start to blur over. "Trina," she mouthed, not able to understand the pain that they both felt. "You never need to worry about me."

"Everytime you say that, I worry more," Trina answered. "I just feel so distant from you, Tori...I mean, what's keeping you from running away again?" Her voice cracking, the older of the Vega sisters found herself unable to look away to the fading family member before her. "I love you, Tori...but you terrify me...I don't want you to scare me like this..." The tears started breaking in to every word now. Keeping a straight face that vaguely reflected her pain, Tori let the swelling pool of tears stream down from both eyes.

"I don't mean to scare you, Trina," the young brunette said, her broken voice just above a whisper. "I love you...and I never wanted you to feel like this." Crawling over on the couch, Victoria turned her comforting touch into a sisterly hug. Both of the Vega girls cried into the others shoulder, leaving soaking stains on their own faces and each others neck. "I never wanted to be something you didn't see in me..." Out of the corner of her eye, Tori spotted a black, torn cape waving in the cold breeze and rain of the night. Trina was too upset to say anything, or even open her eyes to face the situation.

Alfred stood completely still in the hallway, wanting so badly to tell his young charge the same thing as her big sister did. However, he knew there was nothing he could do; all he could do was stay a last resource: stand in the darkness until the moment Tori seemed all alone, then try to lead her back into the light. A tear slowly welled up in the Englishman's eye, then slid down his lightly-withered cheek.

Sitting alone on her bed, Cat stared at the wall before her, letting a bitter, cold tear slide down her soft, lovable cheek. _Why'd you have to yell at me, Mommy? _she asked herself, growing more upset by the minute. _I didn't mean to upset you...why can't I just learn to stop acting up? Mom's busy with her work...she doesn't have time for me. I'm sorry..._ Unable to stop herself from bursting into miserable screams and tears, the black-haired girl pressed a soft, pink pillow into her face, and held it tightly in place. Her screams were muffled, and the world was unable to see her sweet face break into a frown.

Beck and Jade lay next to one another atop Jade's bed, slowly holding one another's hand. Both of the teenagers stared at the ceiling, feeling the warm air around them. "I heard this joke once..." Beck began, his voice somewhat cracked in an attempt to stay quiet. "A man walked into a bar...and said 'ow'." After a brief second of happy disbelief, Jade chuckled, then looked over at her lover.

"You are the worst comedian I've ever met," the Gothic young woman lovingly laughed. Moving herself alittle bit closer to Beck, the girl gave him a quick kiss on his cold lips, then went back into the warm groove she had made for herself. Beck smiled what he tried to make a warm smile. However, his heart was barely in the situation anymore. The most horrifying thing about his entire relationship with Jade, watching her dying right before him...was obvious.

_There's a game life plays..._

_That makes you think you're everything they ever said you were..._

_I'd like to take some time...To clear away everything I've planned..._

Andre' glanced out his dirty bedroom window into the night's sky; the dark void, filled with brilliant stars. It all promised a sort of freedom, even though no such thing really existed right now. Recently, he and Tori had been distant; almost like their friendship faded away with time.

Tori and Trina held each other, not daring to let go. However, Victoria had other things gnawing at her mind at the moment. _Why can't I just hold you? Hold Cat, hold Beck, hold Jade? Why can't I just hold Andre' and Alfred, and everybody...and just let this go?_ Lightning flashed in the sky, and Batwoman's cowl glared down at the city.

_Was it life I betrayed for the shape that I'm in?_

_It's not hard to fail..._

Beck held his arm around Jade's shoulder, keeping his breathing steady as she cried her heart out again. Ever since she was diagnosed, she was getting weaker and weaker. The boy tried to make things better, but he never could.

_It's not easy to win..._

Thrusting herself up and down on the ground, Victoria forced out breath after rough breath with every push-up she pushed her body through. Her anger was calmed in her furious motions, and her heart was racing.

_Could I disappear_

_And there's nothing left but wasted years?_

_..._

"Yeah...I think all of us should hang out Friday night," Tori suggested, resting the cool towel on the back of her damp neck. "Sure, my place. Yeah...I think it'll be really nice. We'll get the whole gang back together again...I know, I feel like we've all been going to different schools for the past month...Awesome, thanks, baby. Love you. Bye." The brunette girl hung up the phone, letting Beck go, and turned to a photograph she took with Cat at the mall a couple of months ago. Gently stroking her fingers over the playful, black-and-white photo, Tori let a smile form on her face.

Sitting outside the iron gates keeping the so-called monster trapped, Katrina looked Sinjin in the eye, and continued their conversation. "I know you're scared," the young woman said, her voice quiet and calm. "But you're still you...you've still got me."

"What's the point of having friends when I don't even like myself?" Sinjin asked, looking at his scaly green flesh. "Ah, I hate this! I hate myself! I hate...how I lost everything!" The boy thrust himself upward, and smashed his large shoulder into the iron wall, grunting under his breath.

"Calm down," Trina ordered, standing up from her seat and motioning downward. "Relax! Relax." Sinjin halted and began breathing heavily. "Just sit down...you're okay."

"I'm sorry," the young man gasped out, sitting down on his cot. Looking at his claws, Sinjin remembered how things used to be. "I don't like you seeing me like this...I mean, I know I was never...attractive...but I was never this bad...I don't even get why you keep coming back."

"Because you matter to me," the brunette explained. "When we were both at Hollywood Arts, you were the one who helped me...with homework, science, and just...being there. You're my friend, and I know I never treated you like one, but you do deserve to know what you are to me." Silence and stillness filled the air. Neither of the teenagers let out so much as an audible breath.

"...Thank you," Sinjin finally said, seeing the caring eyes through the cold metal bars. "I'm sorry, but I lost faith in everyone when I started hating myself. Then you actually came back, and now...Just...thank you." Trina smiled and nodded at the boy; as if she thought it was unexpected to be thanked or appreciated for all this.

"Who was he...I mean, before all this?" Batwoman asked, looking over the files on Chase Matthews. The teenager's body was draped in her original Batsuit; feeling the new armor wasn't ready for a field test, due to the diminished agility it allowed for.

"He was just a normal teenager," Amadeus answered, groaning as he leaned forward to pick up a psych profile. "He went to a private boarding school called PCA, had friends, hobbies,...and I suppose he was even a boxer...maybe that's how he got started on his addiction. But that stuff's not in many of our records."

"No confessions?" the young woman asked, her voice gruff and brief.

"Won't name a soul," the elderly man answered. "No one but this 'Pops' person. Says he was his coach...but that's about all we know."

"It's called Venom," Batwoman began, pointing at the images of Chase's drug-enlarged body. "Works like an radical steroid...Judging by the appearance of his veins, it obviously flows pretty thick through the blood, leads to irrational and violent behavior. From what I've heard, it's extremely addictive...I can't even imagine the long-term effects it must have on the human body."

"It hasn't been on the market long enough to get that kind of information," Arkham answered. "We'll do all we can, but we're going to need something extra to stop the trafficking." Batwoman nodded, slipping several copies of the psychological profile under her cape. "As always, you won't get any credit, but I'm sure you're used to..." Turning his head, the elderly man found himself alone.

Standing atop the roof of a massive building, the Batwoman looked over the files. _Is he the victim? _Images of Chase's breaking the young woman's back over his knee began to flare up in her mind. _I've been still for too long...but the city's been silent. I have to track down the pushers..._ Suddenly, Tori remembered the invitation she sent out to her friends. At this point, however, that happy appointment seemed sad, shattered; a burden. _They're my friends...Maybe I've had it wrong...maybe I've been still as Tori Vega...maybe it was my friends I let fall silent inside myself..._ Closing her eyes, dropping her head, and letting the breeze turn her cape into a security blanket, the young woman thought over herself; her life; the Batwoman; Cat, Jade, Beck, Trina, Andre', Alfred. Raising her head, Victoria set the Bat-Wave inside her utility belt, tucked away the files, and looked out over the city. "Sorry, Amadeus," she whispered. "I'm not just Batwoman...My friends need me more right now."

As hours faded into days gone by, Tori found her emotions rampantly shifting and colliding with one another; all about her friends, and the Venom. The gunshots fired, two young girls sat in the ice-cold streams of blood in the alley, a swarm of bats scowered the night's sky; filling the air with furious screeching. Tori folded her lip inward, dialed the number on her phone, and awaited an answer. The Batwoman thrust her fists into the violent gang before her, feeling her blood boil; feeling the impact of those bullets from that night. Biting her lip, the teenager heard her friend pick up the phone. "Hey, Kitten," she said, feigning a smile.

"Hi, Tori," the dark-haired girl happily answered. "I'm excited for tonight." Spreading her cape out like the wings of a massive bat, the dark figure thrust herself upon the grotesque gang forces in the alley. Screams broke the silence of the night, blood burned the corner of her mouth, and the hours disappeared one after another without mercy.

"Me too," Victoria answered, feeling her body wash over in self-pity. "I'm really sorry it took me so long to...snap out of this. I've really missed you, angel."

"Same here," Cat sniffled. "We're gonna have the best time. Love you, Tori."

"Love you, Kitten," Tori managed to choke out, her voice reduced to a cracking whisper.

"Hey, Jade," Beck said, calmly approaching his lover, then taking a seat on her couch.

"What's up, baby?" Jadeyn asked, sitting up straight and fixing her rest-worn hair. Her skin was pale, and her smile was worn (but at least she had a smile now). She had no idea what was happening; maybe she did, but she didn't want to take the fact that people were still hurting her, even as she lay dying.

"...I...I need to tell you something," the young man confessed, his heavy heart pounding. His hands were shaking, just like they were the day he met Jade; his throat was sore and filled with an agonizing lump, just like it was the night he learned his lover was dying. A hot little tear numbed Beck's eye as he finally gathered the courage to look his girlfriend in the eye. "I'm sorry...I know this is, like...the worst thing anyone could ever do...I know I'm the one who's ruined everything...even though you always took care of me..." Jade knew; of course she knew. "I told you I loved you...I was afraid...and I never told you; I hid it all...hoping that I could make myself a good person...But I can't live like this...I can't live like my father did...Jade, I am so sorry...I've done so much to hurt you. I've destroyed everything we've ever had...I...I fell in love with Tori...and I know that that makes me a horrible person and an even-worse boyfriend,...but I want you to know that she loves you, and she didn't do this to hurt you...neither did I, but I made a mistake. I started all of this...toyed with the two of you...Tori understood, but she went with me...and I made her keep it from you...all because I thought that would be our redemption." Tears began to break out of their puddles, and stream down the young man's darkened cheeks. Beck's voice completely gave way to his pain, his unfathomable regret, and all the deceptions, and he broke down crying. "That maybe I thought...we could just lie to you enough, so you could die, and be happy...with both of us...with _Us_...and no one would have to suffer because I was too selfish to be the one you lived for...I'm sorry, Jade...I didn't mean this...I didn't ever want to hurt you...Tried so hard to make it all right...oh god, this is all my fault...I'm sorry." Saliva formed in thick strings in the boy's mouth, the raging sea of burning tears completely blinded him, and his nose was running like a helpless infant's.

"Beck..." Jade replied, her voice like the softly-spoken prayers of guardian angels in Heaven. "I know...I always knew...I'm not just living for you...I'm living for Eva, for my friends, for myself..._and _for _Us_. Baby, you didn't do anything wrong...Until the day you gave up on yourself. Tori knows why you came to her, I know why you were so upset...you didn't want me to see your pain...you weren't ready for the commitment you forged...We're just kids...You were scared...but you hid that fear for my sake. Beck, angel, you died long before I will...and you died for me...Yes, you cheated on me...yes, you cheated on me with Tori...but she knew what was happening. You didn't steal her, and she didn't steal you... It's not always a happy ending..." Jade's soft, loving, true voice turned to an even softer whisper. "I understand, Beck." Taking her lover's hands, the young woman swallowed her pain in one painful gulp, and looked at his withered, tear-tinted brown eyes. "And because of all that...I love you. I want you to go with Tori...I want her to know I'm completely okay with that...with all of this. You didn't take my life, you didn't break my heart...we will always be friends, Beck. Tori will always be...my friend. Can you forgive yourself? So the last of my life can really have a happy ending?"

So filled with pain, so relieved by the words of another, Beck let a smile break out on his devastated face. Feeling a great sense of lightness, the boy couldn't help but let out a relieved, almost prayerful laugh as he looked at Jade. Then, doing more than any other human being would ever do, Jade took Beck in her arms, rubbed his tired back, and let him cry into her shoulder. "Thank you," the young man croaked out through Jade's embrace. "Thank you for being my friend...for not letting me break myself. Thank you for always being the strongest person I've ever met." Jade smiled, refusing to open her eyes, and held her friend in her loving arms. She was so warm, even though her skin was getting colder.

_That's how it would end...in a better world...where we were stronger people. _Beck sat alone in his r.v., looking at the wall. He would never tell Jade; he would never forgive himself, and he would never be able to love Tori like they both needed. Dropping his head, the young man prepared to cry, all alone.

Finally, Andre', Beck, Cat, Tori, Jade, Trina, and Alfred were together in the Vega family's living room. At last, the silence was broken.

"I was starting to think you guys fell off the face of the world," Andre' jokingly declared, not showing how much he really meant his sorrowful words. "Thanks for setting this up, Tori." Victoria smiled and raised her glass of lemonade.

"Buddies!" Cat cried out, putting her arms around Beck and Jade. Everyone giggled at the adorable scene. "Alfred, sit down. You don't have to be our butler tonight." The Englishman smiled at Cat, and sat down next to Trina and Andre'.

"Oh hey, Tori..." Jade said, her reluctance showing in every word.

"Sup, Jade?" the brunette happily accepted.

"You know how...on your first day at Hollywood Arts," the Gothic young woman began. "I spilled my coffee on you..." Silence filled the air for a moment. Beck caught himself holding his breath. "...I realized I never got a chance to tell you...I'm sorry. That was really ignorant...you've shown me you didn't deserve that."

Tori smiled, feeling some sort of relief (only covering a massive amount of guilt). "Thanks, Jade," she said. The brunette stood up and walked over to her friend. Knowing what Tori wanted, Jade smiled, stood up, and gave her a warm embrace. "Thanks, Jade," the brunette whispered, letting some tears well up in her eyes.

"Back at'cha, Vega," Jade feigned reluctance. Cat jumped up and joined the hug. Jade and Tori smiled. "Come on, we might as well make this a group thing," Jade called out. With that, everyone in the room came together for the most warm embrace they'd had in so long. _Our friendship doesn't have to die, _Victoria told herself, taking comfort in the gathering of her friends and family. _I'm not powerless...not here._


	18. Lie to Me

Batwoman: Victorious

Chapter Seventeen: Lie to Me

"No...it's my choice...it's just something I have to do," Jade explained, trying to straighten her course, unkempt hair. However, the long locks never fell like they used to; not since she was diagnosed. "And I have to be the one to do it..." The young woman's mother nodded her head in approval, held her oldest daughter for a warm second, then let her go.

"I'll drive you," Ms. West lovingly volunteered. Her heart was broken; there was no sense in making things worse by forcing her own way on her daughter.

"Thanks, Mom," the dark-haired young woman whispered with a cracking voice. A cold little tear slid down the semi-Gothic girl's face, but she quickly buried herself in her mother's shoulder. Eva, watching from the doorway, ran up and hugged what was left of her family, her little eyes closed. After too short a moment, the group let go, and took their own paths for the day.

Jade looked down as she opened the front door, caught a perpetrator at her feet, and picked her up. "Allison," she lightly scolded, her voice happy as her fingers lifted up the tiny gray kitten. "You're too young to go outside on your own." Setting the beloved creature inside, next to Eva, the dark-haired young woman smiled. "Later, angel...I promise...Love you, Eva."

"Love you, Jadey," the young girl replied, packing her things into her book bag. "Good luck." Jade feigned a smile, and departed with her mother. Above the eldest members of the West family's car, the blue skies flashed by as the highway slipped away. Beck wouldn't be there; this would be all too hard on him; on Jade. So, he stayed home, sick. What was once a cool breeze on the young woman's face was now a near-stabbing chill on Jade's withering skin.

Today was bright; this could be okay. Swallowing hard, the dark-haired young woman thought over what she would say, how much this would hurt. "Are you gonna be okay?" Ms. West asked, her voice caring.

"Yeah," Jade answered, keeping her emotions hidden. "Just kind of cold." At last, the two arrived at Hollywood Arts, prepared themselves, and went their separate ways once again; Ms. West to the office to deal with the paper work, and Jade to her classes to finish her parting words.

Her feet gently tapping on the familiar hallway, the young woman made her way to Mr. Sikowitz's class. "Hey, sorry to cut you off," Jade casually said, tapping on the wooden doorway.

"Oh no, Jade," the balding teacher answered, setting the coconut he was holding down on his desk. "Is everything alright?"

"I just...wanted to say goodbye," the dark-haired young woman struggled to say; her voice beginning to tremble. Sikowitz gave his parting blessings to Jade, let the other teenagers in his class do the same (allowing Alyse to give her old friend one last hug), then let the young woman leave with grace and a sense of closure to her next class.

Fear came into play; feeling nervous, uneasy, and overcome with dread, Jade pulled off by her old, emptied locker, forced out a brief sob, wiped away the evidence, and entered the next classroom. Cat was there; she knew what was happening. The two hugged, drove each other closer and closer to the point of tears, and realized what a loss this would all be.

"I'm gonna miss you, Jade," Cat choked out in a weak, cracked whisper, refusing to let go of her oldest friend. "

"We're still gonna be friends," Jade answered, keeping her own quaking voice down as the embrace hid her pain. "It's not like I could come to school most of the time, anyway...You'll always be my best friend, Kitten. Okay?" The black-haired girl smiled the innocent, hurt smile of a child as Jade's tired arms coddled her.

"Love you," Cat whispered, her voice shattered.

"Love you, too, angel," the semi-Gothic young woman croaked, her veil of strength tearing, allowing the hot, burning stream of tears to flow down her red, tender cheeks. After a peaceful form of eternity, the two let go of one another, forced themselves to smile, then parted. Once Jade was far enough away, Catarina charged out of the room, covering her soaked eyes with her inner elbow.

After washing off her swollen, red-stained, puffy face, the terminally ill girl took all the control she still possessed, put on a pretty smile for everyone else, and continued visiting her old classes and classmates. Finally, she reached the room she entered every day for final period. Everyone was still; if there was any sound, it was lost in an overall feeling of silence. _I can't do this..._ Jade thought to herself, feeling her entire body fall weak. "Hey," she finally managed to say. _I didn't used to be this weak..._ "I'm, uh...not...going to be able to come to school anymore...family issue." The redheaded young woman nodded, wearing an almost hurt expression, and remained silent at her desk. The decorative paperweight atop old lesson plans was an apple with "please take a number", topped with grenade picks in the shape of a one, two, and three. Jade had been the first to pull one of them out, giving the young teacher something to smile about in her earlier days.

For about half an hour, almost half the class talked to their departing friend. Several remained silent while others were too scared to be hurtful to the once-feared young woman. At last, the bell rang, and each teenager left for the day...except for Tori, who was still seated at her desk. Jade stared over at the girl, her mind riddled with wonder, confusion, and a horrible feeling of vulnerability. Finally, Victoria stood up, and slowly walked over to her friend. Neither girl spoke. Her throat burning, her heart pounding down into her stomach out of wretched regret, the brunette swallowed hard, looked forward at her friend: the one she'd betrayed, hurt, and was, even now lying to, and stumbled forward with a look of sadness; an emotionally crippled gasp of fear washed onto her reddened face. They were terrified; Jade West and Tori Vega: friends, hated friends, former rivals. Tori wrapped her arms around the girl, stripping them both of their composure. Breaking down into hot, scared, burning, defeated, piercing tears, the two young women hid their faces in the curve of the other's inner shoulder.

_I can't do this..._ Tori told herself, unable to stop herself from openly crying and practically screaming. _Jade's my friend...and I'm letting her die...living a happy life with her lover while she's left in the cold to pass on..._ Bullets exploded in the night's sky; two bodies fell, their hands meeting on the cold, wet ground, and a pool of blood forming between them. "I'm so sorry...about everything," Victoria confessed, her saliva stringing inside her mouth, choking out her freedom to breathe.

"No..." Jade answered, her devastated voice coming back to strength. "I'm not gonna let you do this to yourself, Tori...I was always horrible to you...But you never stopped caring...you're the only one...You and Cat." Gasping, the dark-haired girl felt an unnatural flood of icy, burning tears erupt out of her eyes, smearing her eye liner. "You're the only one who didn't throw me away when you should've...Beck came back, but you were never gone. Her heart skipping a beat, Victoria felt herself become hysteric. "I know I've said and done terrible things to you...but you and Cat are the only friends I really have..."

_I can't do this...I can't take this...I'm broken._ Victoria cried out, gasping heavier every second for air. Jade, so weak, so childlike, stepped back as her friend fell to the ground, crying, choking on her own breath, and ravaging herself for air to take in. "Oh...Oh, god..." she suffocated. "Jade...Jade, you can't hear me...Jade, I'm sorry...I lied to you, did everything wrong...I'm sorry...I'm sorry." Crouching down onto her knees, Jadeyn firmly embraced her agonized friend. Tori sniffled and choked in three rapid breaths. Her own pain subsiding, the dark-haired young woman began slowly stroking her friend's back, whispering, "Sssh," like a mother to her terrified infant.

"You didn't do anything...We're okay...you're my friend, Tori," Jade said, not realizing she was transcending herself and becoming a guardian angel. _She's wrong, _Batwoman gasped. _She's wrong...I'm wrong._ Each massive breath quaking, Tori allowed Jade to take away all of her pain, only to cause herself more. "Thank you," Victoria finally whispered. Jade held the child closer.

_Cards and flowers on your window,_

Taking one last look at Hollywood Arts after the incident, Jade let out a deep departing breath, closed a chapter on her life with a heavy heart, and followed her mother to the car. Stains from fresh tears shimmered on the young woman's face, even as the wind dried them.

_Your friends all plead for you to stay._

Cat watched her oldest and best friend walk away, praying she didn't see her. _You're not going to die, Jade...Please, _she prayed to herself, watching the car start up and drive off the campus for the last time.

_Sometimes beginnings aren't so simple..._

Tori sat alone, replaying old memories of her and Jade over and over in her mind; the coffee the jealous, Gothic girl dumped on her head for "getting too close to her boyfriend", the time they worked together to repair Jade's relationship with Beck...parties and dances with friends...being the best friends/enemies of all time. Smiling in the warm embrace of old emotions, old times, and old, secure feelings, the young woman let in a fading sense of solace as tears began uncontrollably streaming down her soft cheeks.

_Sometimes goodbye's the only way._

Her eyes no longer able to water, Jade stared straight ahead, watching the road pass by her and her mother; the cars speeding by to nowhere. _Move on, _the dark-haired young woman told herself, seeing the sunset before her as a promise of hope and a better tomorrow, even though that seemed impossible. _...We're still going to be friends...whether I'm there or not._ Biting her lip, Jade remembered her first day at Hollywood Arts, the excitement of being recognized for her talents, the dreams and goals of becoming famous, meeting Beck, making friends, and settling for just feeling like she belonged. Then, the tears began again...

"I killed her," the brunette confessed, unable to look Alfred in the eyes. "I turned Ra's away..."

"Miss Victoria," the Englishman harshly interrupted. "I know you are upset about Ms. West's departure, but don't you dare begin questioning yourself over this matter...You saved her by renouncing that monster." Tori stared down at the floor, her eyes filling with blinding, burning tears. "...If you are going to do nothing more than wage war on yourself, then I have failed everything your parents put me in charge of, Miss Victoria..." Trina walked into the doorway, half in tears at what she was forced to witness. Victoria looked up at her big sister, and began violently sobbing once again.

"You're not alone," the two told their beloved charge.

"Tori, whatever happened, you can tell us," Katrina assured her little sister. "We can forgive anything that happened...but only if you can."

"I know you are suffering from the loss of a friend," Hugo Strange declared, looking at a very vulnerable young woman. "Her name was...Jade? And she..."

"She dropped out," Tori answered, staring at the sterile white ceiling. "And I just...I just feel like it's all my fault. I mean, I could've done more for her, could've been a better friend. I mean, I always told her I wanted us to get along, but I never changed...It's just like when my parents died..." For the first time, for the last time, Dr. Strange removed his glasses with sharp precision, glaring at his patient in pure shock. Silence had drowned every form of life.

"You cannot tell me...you blame yourself for your parents' death," Hugo declared, rage lining his voice. "I recall your childhood feelings of regret and survivor's guilt...but at your age, at this level...How much of your life has that incident taken from you, Victoria?" Unable to answer, Tori kept her gaze on nothing, feeling shameful tears tear into her eyes. "And you won't allow yourself to be helped out of this blame...you still punish yourself for that which you cannot/could not have changed...The most horrible things you have ever done, Miss Victoria...you did to yourself. And I know you have no intention to change." Silence sliced at the brunette's tender flesh.

Thrusting her elbow into the neck of a criminal, Batwoman felt a blade slither across her arm, turned, and assaulted the other attacker. Removing her cape, cowl, and gloves, the teenager let the blood pour down into the sink of her bathroom drain. Cold water drenched the wound, numbing some of the pain.

"We will still meet on a regular basis, Victoria," Hugo continued. "Only to keep you from performing more serious acts of self-hatred..."

Gliding among the breeze, the black figure tackled a small gang of armed drug dealers. "Where?" she screamed.

"But know that until you make progress within your own mind," the doctor explained. "Everything I have taught you will forever by useless..."

"Keep them all in their own cells," Batwoman growled. "In solitary confinement. No one can know they're here." Amadeus grew concerned, although he understood more than anyone else.

"I've got a lead," Victoria told Alfred, even though he faced away from her, trying to hide his red, swollen eyes. "I've got his men back at Arkham...found charges. Falcone won't get out again."

"All of your victories will be losses," Strange continued. "Your accomplishments only a brief balm in the hell you have self-crafted and imposed on yourself."

"It's my fault, Trina," Tori confessed.

"Tori, please," Katrina begged, her voice cracking as she lay atop her bed. _No more heartbreaks...not tonight. You've killed yourself, Tori. _Victoria, realizing how alone she'd made herself, left her sister's room without so much as a word.

"Maybe I was wrong," Batwoman confessed to herself, sitting atop the roof of her home, trying to hide from the punishing light of the moon. "..." Dropping her head, Tori felt her throat develop a raw, swelling lump. "Maybe the world doesn't need the Batwoman...maybe it doesn't need Tori Vega, either."

"Mr. Oliver, you've been working all night," a professor said, interrupting the young man's work. "Please, let yourself sleep tonight." Too weak to argue, Beck nodded, stood up to shake hands with his friend, and then left for home. _I've gotta call Jade...and Tori, _he told himself, growing more and more uneasy.

Hanging her Batsuit up in her closet, Tori removed a thick rope from an old box, tied it to the form she needed, and let it rest on a hanger between her cape and mask. "Maybe I was wrong," she sobbed under her breath.

"I want you to lie to me," Jade told her lover, resting her head on the back of his shoulder, letting her face press into his long, dark hair. Leaning into Beck's back for support, the young woman lightly hugged his chest, looking over his shoulder at his stilled left arm.

"What?" the young man asked, confused and caught off-guard.

"Tell me a lie..." Jade repeated, her voice turning into a beg. "Tell me everything's gonna be okay...that we're going to go to school together tomorrow, that I'm not dying alone inside myself."

"Jade, you're not dying," Beck tried to comfort his lover.

"Just lie to me..." the young woman sharply interrupted, tears forming in her eyes. "Please...that's all I have tonight." Turning to the tortured soul, the boy felt himself become weak. "I don't want...this. I don't want to be living like this..." Swallowing hard, Beck nodded, feeling his eyes start to burn.

"Yeah," the young man gave in. "You're gonna be okay," he choked. "Robbie, Andre', and I are gonna have lunch with you, Tori, Cat, and Trina at the asphalt cafe'...just like the time when we made plans to take my r.v. to Venice Beach..." Slowly, the night passed on, keeping its blood flowing only with stories of how life used to be...how rationality used to be, and how trivial any matter of pain used to be.

_I can't believe I'm still comfortable with being with him...even with Jade like this, _Victoria thought, her arm resting around Beck's shoulder. "How was she?" the young woman asked.

"Kind of worried about you, really upset about leaving Hollywood Arts," the young man answered, unable to look at his secret lover. "...She's okay, just...it's gonna take some time to get over all this." Tori nodded, staring at the floor. "Are _you _okay, though?"

"I will be," the brunette answered, stroking her hair out of her eyes. "I just...I didn't see that coming, and I felt so bad for her...you're sure she doesn't know about us?" Beck nodded, understanding how horrible of a situation all of this was. "I mean, you know I love what we have together...how real everything feels when we talk, and how many things we see eye-to-eye on, but...it's just...I don't want all that to hurt Jade."

"I know," Beck sighed. "I think about that every night...it's all my fault. I mean...I did a terrible thing to her...to you."

"Beck, don't turn this into a hostage situation," Victoria answered. "I said yes...neither of us wanted to break what you and Jade had. She's our friend...it's just...I don't even know anymore."

"I feel so bad about going behind her back, though," the long-haired boy added. "I feel like I'm taking advantage of her."

"And I feel like all the friend attempts I made...were like lies I told her," Tori added, forcing back tears. _I'm a horrible person...that's what I've kept myself from realizing._

"Tori, that's not what you were doing," Beck gently cut in. "You really care about her...we both do...I sprung all this on you...but, I mean,...everything you said to her was from your heart...please don't tear yourself up like this."

"I've been hearing that alot lately," the young woman replied. "...Look, I need to get home. I kind of ditched Trina and Alfred, but...thank you. No one makes me rethink things like you do...second chances are always miracles." Gently leaning forward, the lovers' lips collided for an instant within eternity, and Tori departed with a smile and slight wave, which Beck gave back.

Images of the rope around Batwoman's neck flashed in the girl's mind as she ran home from the trailer. _How can I keep doing this? _she asked herself. _How can I be so terrible to Jade? To Beck? To Alfred, Trina, Cat? I can't do this...I'm ruining everything..._

"Tori, just stop blaming yourself," Trina told her baby sister, gently stroking her hair. "There's no reason you should be so hard on yourself." Victoria smiled, feeling a sense of relief from her sister's words. "Besides...if you're gonna stay depressed, I won't have anyone to watch my auditions." The two laughed at Katrina's joking attempt to seem uninvolved.

Smiling warmly, Alfred entered the room. "Miss Victoria," he said. "I do apologize for my previous behavior...not exactly the sensitivity you needed." Tori smiled at Alfred, letting him know it was all okay. "I see your mood has lifted. Thanks, in no small part, I assume, to Miss Katrina. I trust your dark night just grew brighter?" To ease some of the previous coldness, the Englishman placed a blanket around the shoulders of the two sisters.

"Thanks to a caring family," Tori answered, her voice just above a whisper. _It's easy enough to fake a smile...make like everything's alright...At least I'm not alone._


	19. Lux Aeterna

Batwoman: Victorious

Chapter Eighteen: Lux Aeterna

_I've let them down...Failed the people I love...Become everything I've ever hated; I'm scarring those around me, and I don't even care. When I dawned the cape and cowl, I swore my presence would make the world a better place. I've failed. I always intended to leave it all behind one day: let the Batwoman die once the people didn't need me anymore...Maybe I was wrong. Maybe the world doesn't need Batwoman or Tori Vega. I couldn't stop Falcone, couldn't stop his men, couldn't save Robbie or Sinjin...and I can't help Jade; I'm just kicking her while she's down. Maybe if I hadn't said yes, Beck would still be loyal...Who am I kidding? Whatever I have with Beck is both of our faults...just one more thing I couldn't stop._

Raising his hand, aiming the gun at the Vega couple, the cold, grizzly man's face was consumed in shadows. Then, the bullets fired, and Thomas and Martha fell. Victoria tried to stop the bullets; tried to catch them before they hit their mark...but she failed. Kneeling down as her sister cried; letting her tears merge with the streams of blood, Tori felt herself fall, fade into the shadows, lose control. _I wasn't strong enough to act back then...Now, I have the strength, but I've turned myself into a monster. I still let those around me fade...I still fail to stop those bullets; even worse, I'm the one firing them._

"Can you tell me again, Alfred," Tori began, looking over some records. "How is it that Falcone's free on the streets now?"

"When he appeared in court under accounts of extortion, drug trafficking, child prostitution, possession of illegal firearms and narcotics, and gang activity," Alfred recited, taking the situation as almost humorous. "The judge, who you claim is likely in league with the Roman, offered leniency in the case he named his accomplices." A second of silence signified Tori's following of the story. "He named every one of them known to the public, dealt with death threats and attempts on roughly five different occasions, and vanished from the eyes of society around the time all of his said accomplices were murdered by unidentified individuals, allegedly part of a rival gang."

"And they suspect foul play on the part of Falcone's old rival, the Russian?" the young woman asked, her tone void of almost all emotion.

"It is most likely, Miss Victoria," the Englishman answered.

"And we still have no traces of Venom to follow?" the brunette continued. "No connections to Falcone's gang?" Alfred shook his head. Leaning back in her seat, Tori thought over the situation. "...I think I'm gonna go out tonight." Victoria got up and started to leave the room.

"Am I to assume this will not be a meeting with your friends at Karaoke Dokie?" the near-elderly man replied.

"Not tonight, Alfred," the young woman answered. "I'm gonna need my fake I.D. and that jacket I got last month."

_And yet still...I continue._ Thousands of drops of rain poured down from the heavens, drenching the black figure. Icy water slid down Tori's nose and past her lips. Unforgiving winds blew at her cape. _Wasting time...making others suffer. Catching Falcone seemed like the only way; my only redemption. Maybe if I could stop that one gang, it would serve as penance...paying for what I was doing to Jade._

"What if something happens between us?" Tori asked her forbidden lover one day.

"What do you mean?" Beck replied, his voice calm and cool as always.

"I mean, what if one of us moves away, or we break up or something?" the brunette answered. "Will we still be...you know, friends? Still stay with Cat, Andre', and the gang?"

"...I will," the dark-haired young man answered after a second of thought. "We were friends before we were anything else. Just because We didn't work out, doesn't mean we should fall away from each other. At least, that's the way I view it. How 'bout you?"

"Same thing," Tori smiled, some of her stress fading away. _I'll always be there for you guys...especially Cat. _"And all your secrets are safe with me." Beck smiled, promising the same thing in return. "Hey...how's Jade doing? Is she getting any better?" _I knew the answer._

_ Resting atop a steel beam, hidden away in the shadows and silence of the asylum, I watched the scene play out before me; she was there again, visiting the boy she once knew as her friend. He was sweating and shaking heavily, his breath audible even from up here. "What happened to you?" she demanded, her voice echoing throughout the entire building. "We were friends! We didn't have to lose that!" Silence was his reply._

_ I watched intently; fixated and interlocked with their tragedies. They paralleled Beck and I in so many ways. Why did I see so many things in them? What was it that intoxicated my senses so badly? Above all, what kept her coming back? What keeps Trina, Cat, and I coming back? What keeps the Batwoman coming back?_

_ I researched them; her name is Zoey Brooks. Every time she comes here, she travels several miles, leaving her boarding school, Pacific Coast Academy; the two were once classmates and friends there. They met in fifth grade, stayed close for years. Something changed that, though. Not that much later, he gained a history at Hell's Gate. Then, he attacked the city, high on Venom and working for forces he didn't even know about. What was it that kept her coming back?_

Burying his face in his hands, Chase fell silent.

"...Will you please talk to me?" Zoey begged, her tone turning desperate. "I'm sorry...okay? I'm sorry for whatever I did to let you down. Please, don't let our friendship end like this...what happened?" The young man looked up, his face red and stained with tears.

_So many times I prayed I could say that...but I'd never take off the cowl...never give in; never let myself lose the fight._

Her eyes fixated on the man in front of her, the dark-haired young woman kicked her thin, toned legs back and forth under the table. "Haven't seen you here before," she said, setting down her soda. "My name's Matches," Tori's voice was hidden in her underground guise. The man replied, but the young woman's mind was on the other voices around her; their discussions, their arguments; the things these criminals discussed when they thought no one was listening. Time went by, but bore nothing.

"I will see you in two days, Miss West," Dr. Fries said, packing up his things. "You're recovering nicely."

_No I'm not, _Jade thought, her throat starting to throb. "Doctor..."

"Please, call me Victor," the man replied, obviously trying to comfort the child in her final time.

"Why do you keep coming back, Vic?" the Gothic young woman replied, her voice cracking. "You and I both know I'm not getting any better...I'm getting worse by the day. I appreciate everything you've done..." Jade's voice fell into a hush as burning tears welled up in her eyes. "But why do you do it?"

Taken back, maybe even let down, Doctor Fries removed his glasses, and stared at the floor. "Because I'm not giving up on you, Jadeyn," he answered. "I don't want to see children die...that's a promise I made to my wife the day she was diagnosed...Her condition's far worse than yours, and she's slipping by the day...If I can stop anyone from suffering like that...I have no doubt in my mind it's you, Miss West." Folding her lips over her teeth, trying to bite off the horrid feeling of pain, compliment, and sorrow, Jade weakly smiled through tear-blurred eyes, nodding her head up and down. "You're worth fighting for, Jade...your friends know that...your mother and sister know that...and I think you do, too...deep down." Victor smiled back at Jade.

"Thank you," the dark-haired girl said. "Tell your wife I wish her well...if I could give her all my strength, I would." The two shared the same feeling of threat and enlightenment. "You know, you've never let me down one day in my life...I was afraid it'd be different today, but...now I know you're not lying to me." Holding her hand out, making one of her first attempt to expose her heart to another, Jade smiled. His heart warmed for a second, Victor Fries took her hand.

Later that night, Beck and Jade fell asleep on her couch. Eva lay next to her big sister, cradled under her arm. The three shared one blanket, just as Tori, Trina, and Martha did long ago...

_Now, I stand here...alone. At my own mercy..._Tightening the noose around her black-cloaked neck, Victoria felt the rain pour down. Taking in a deep, trembling breath, the Batwoman thought back to that night; the cold wind, the blood. Dawning the cowl before Alfred's terrified eyes. Making her swear against crime. Making such wonderful friends...staying up all night, telling jokes with Cat. Kissing Beck, for better or worse. Writing music with Andre'. Playing tag with Trina. Alfred helping her up when she fell and skinned ehr knee. Getting ready for her first dance, with Trina doing her hair and makeup. Making plans to help Jade and Beck enjoy their earlier anniversary. Falcone, Scarecrow, Bane, Ra's, Red Hood, penny thugs and gangsters. Life...Death. Night...Day.

Tears were burning in her eyes; a relentless drum pounding in her chest; breaths deep and agonizing. This was fear. This was tragedy. This was her punishment: payment for all the failures the young woman had brought upon herself. Hurting those around her, dishonoring the memory of her parents. If ever the Batwoman stood in darkness, now was the time. "I'm sorry, Trina, Alfred...Beck...Jade...Andre'...and I'm so sorry, Cat...I just...It's the only way..."

Time stood still. Her pulse racing, her heart pounding, her mind numb with millions of conflicting thoughts, memories, and ideas; Victoria felt herself revert back to her childhood, then age every day; living each wonderful, horrible memory all over again. Ray threw a punch, which she blocked. The sparring match was concluded with a "Well-done" and a soda. Then, struggling to raise herself up on all fours as Ra's-aul-Ghul beat her with a black bar. Batwoman clenching her bleeding side as she made her way though a sewer, knowing Alfred was waiting to save her. Letting waters of a warm shower stream down her face and hair; letting blood pour down her face after her first, vicious match with the League of Shadows. Lightning flashed, and the Batwoman felt the Bat-Wave flash with energy. Lowering her white eyes, the young woman felt a revelation before her; drug bust, police surrounded, armed thugs. _VENOM._ Her city, her friends, her family, that boy, that girl, the couple, the good, the innocent, the past, the future, Los Angeles finding salvation; sorrow, despair, loss, mistakes, regrets. Throwing off the wicked rope, Tori tightened her eyes, spread her wings, and descended upon the city.

Allowing the violent wind and icy water to tear at her face and cape, the Batwoman took it all in as she flew forward. Energy coursing through her entire body, the girl breathed in her old self; the strength of the city: determined, relentless, and never willing to surrender. At last, she arrived at the docks. Taking refuge on a large pile of crates, Victoria took in the situation; three police officers, eight armed criminals with a crate filled with illegal drugs. Clenching her face into an intense, focused scowl, the Batwoman reached into her utility belt, and pulled out a black piece of metal.

"We'll give you to the count-a three," one of the men declared, aiming his pistol at the officer in front of him. Suddenly, the man collapsed on the ground. "What the..." another gangster cried out. The man felt a surge of pain flash through his back, then collapsed on the cold, hard floor. Wrapped in her cape, Tori stood perfectly still.

"These drugs...what are they?" the young woman demanded, her voice harsh and smokey.

"Our payday, freak," a blond-haired man happily declared, thrusting his gun towards Batwoman. Lunging forward, dodging a raging bullet, the costumed vigilante clawed at the man's hand, then smashed his against the crate. Noticing the distraction, the three officers charged at the other criminals. Flowing with the wind, the teenager thrusted her armored elbow down into one of the thug's inner shoulder, knocking him out on contact.

Finally, all the penny criminals were down and at the police officers' gunpoint. Silence fell over the area. "Don't move," Batwoman commanded, grabbing one of the gangsters and pulling him up to her face. "What are you shipping?"

"It's called Venom," the man shrieked. "Now kill me and be done with it!"

"Who are you shipping it for?" Tori continued, her voice rasping like a fire's roar. "...Answer me!"

A lifeless, defeated smile krept onto the man's face; as his eyes turned to glass orbs before Tori; as his neck bent backwards, and his arms and legs went limp. Shocked, Batwoman glared at the scene before her, trying to study or at least fathom what had just happened. "Cyandie," she exclaimed, setting the body down. "This was a suicide mission..." Rushing over to the crate, Batwoman grabbed a vile of liquid.

"I'm afraid I can't allow you to take that, vigilante," one of the officers declared, aiming his pistol at the dark figure.

"I'm afraid you don't have a choice," Victoria regretfully answered, throwing down a small black powder that engulfed her. The police had nothing but a crate filled with Venom to examine that night.

"It was hideous," Tori confessed, throwing her mask on the floor. "They just...dropped dead right in front of me. My only victory is finding the Venom...now maybe I can find a way to track other addicts down...maybe find the source.

"The effort, Miss Victoria," Alfred began, taking a seat next to his charge. "Although it cost you and I several hours of sleep, was above and beyond the call of duty; even for the Batwoman."

Staring at the floor, Tori felt a massive lump form inside her throat. "Thank you, Alfred," she choked out, looking at the dark visage wrinkled in her hands. "For everything." _I can't tell him...not now; not like this._

"Cat," the brunette girl gently spoke into the phone. "Can you come over? There's something I have to tell you..." Tori swallowed hard.

Cat and Tori sat face to face on the floor. The innocent, dark-haired girl wore a hurt and confused look on her face as the silence dragged on. "What's up, Tori?" she asked. "You look really upset." Her hands trembling; her mouth gaped open, the brunette girl pulled out the noose, and dropped it to the ground. Cat felt her heart skip a beat; her entire body fell into painful agony. "Oh..." she gasped, dropping her jaw as she stared at the rope. "Tori...why would...Oh my gosh." Throwing herself forward, the girl tightly hugged her suffering friend. "Please...Why would you try this?"

"...I don't know," Victoria gasped out, staring into nothingness as she struggled to find solace.

"Don't you dare even think about hurting or killing yourself," Cat demanded. "Don't you dare, Tori...I love you too much...and so does Alfred and Trina. And all your friends. You always have someone who loves you." Her face frozen, Victoria allowed the hot tears to stream down her cheeks.

_I don't know if she was right...But it means the world that she came here tonight...That incident at the docks gave me time to think; I'm not done here. I've still got work to do. Maybe once the city's safe...maybe once the people don't need Batwoman anymore...maybe then I can disappear. Thank Heaven I had Cat tonight. I have a lead to follow; people counting on me. Amadeus needs me...I owe them..._ The bullets fired, the breaths stopped.

"Cat..." Tori's voice trembled. "You have to promise me...promise me you won't tell anyone about this."

"You know I can't keep that promise, Tori," the girl answered. "But I won't leave you...Not now...not ever."

"Sir, the Batwoman found the crate," a masked man declared. "The package will not be delivered." Silence filled the dark room for a moment. "Perfect," a cloaked figure answered, looking into the shadows.


	20. Fear No Evil

Batwoman: Victorious

Chapter Nineteen: Fear No Evil

_My name is Zoey Brooks. My family right now is my brother, Dustin. He's all I have while I'm away at school. I haven't heard from my parents in awhile, and neither has he. I can tell he misses Mom. When it's just the two of us, I need to be Mom. Lately, I think I've failed that assignment. Dustin's been going off on his own more and more. The last time he left, I told him to call me once he got to where he wanted to be. Three days passed, and no call. He took some of his old stuffed animals from when we were kids; I'm terrified. I found a journal he kept; Los Angeles was mentioned a couple of times..._

"We interrupt this program for a civilian emergency," began a newspaper anchor. "A recent rash of bombings around the Los Angeles area have prompted authorities to issue a city-wide lock down. From eight p.m. to five a.m., all civilians are to remain indoors with their homes locked. Although we do not yet know the cause or culprit behind these attacks, their..." Shutting off the television, Cat returned to one of her coloring books.

Tori sat still in her bedroom, staring into nothingness. Her pulse was all but stopped; her heartbeat practically stilled. _So close...so close to finding where the Venom's coming from. Maybe I can save him...Maybe I can save all of them. _"Falcone," she whispered, feeling her eyes growing heavy. _If he's connected to this in anyway...I can take him in._ Outside, the world was growing darker and colder.

Sitting at a desk in her locked room, Tori carefully crafted several different forms of metal. At last, the young woman finished one model, holding it up to the light; A simple black batarang that shined from the dim lighting of the room. Carefully throwing the weapon forward, Tori watched the bat curve and return to her hand. "Perfect, the girl whispered, setting the metal boomerang atop her desk. _Boomerang, death star..._ Images flashed through the young woman's mind; gunfire, a single bullet firing from a small barrel. Engrossed by a single vision, the girl began crafting another device. Sweat began to drip from her forehead with every gentle pound of the hammer, every white flash of metal sparking off into the air. At last, it was finished; a curved steel blade in the vague shape of a bat, holding a hinge in its center, and several sharp edges for a piercing attack. Folding the steel bat in half, Tori easily slid it inside her utility belt.

"This used to be Mom's," Katrina told her sister, handing her sister a small, time-torn book. "I kept it for awhile, but...I really think you should have it."

"Thanks, sis," Tori answered, her voice deeply touched. "Goodnight, Moon...yeah, I remember her reading this to us at night. Thank you so much, Trina." The older brunette smiled a loving but withered smile and nodded. The younger of the siblings threw her arm around the older brunette in a loving embrace. Katrina smiled and returned the gesture.

"Any leads yet?" Batwoman asked, looking over some files.

"I'm afraid not," Amadeus answered before coughing into his shoulder. "Spare me the gory details, but how on earth did you manage to find an untouched supply of venom? The police are still analyzing it."

"...I have my ways," Tori's raspy voice declared. "I'm still doing research on my share of the drug, but things are going slow."

"Just as long as we're the only ones who know about it," the man replied. "We've got the time."

"That's what I'm afraid of, though," Batwoman answered. "Are you sure none of your men know about this?"

"Positive," Arkham coughed. "Pardon me...I took a risk trusting you, but I have no intention of living a safe life. I like what you're doing for this city...for the people. You're something we all need." Dropping her head while facing the filing cabinet, Victoria's mind flashed back to the noose; to her failures. "Thanks to you, crime is down by twenty percent."

"It's not enough," Batwoman snarled, throwing down a manila envelope. "I'll get back to you as soon as I get results. Until then, this case has to sit with LAPD."

"I understand," Amadeus answered, slipping a note into his inner coat pocket.

` _Secrets often come at a cost, Miss Victoria. Why is it that you seem so willing to give all you have for these secrets?_ Hugo Strange had asked one day during a belated therapy session.

_I have nothing... _Victoria answered with a tearful smile on her face. _What could I lose?_

_ Your friends will go first, _the bald man began. _Next, your family...then, you may find yourself questioning all those secrets...questioning whether or not you're living the right life for yourself. _Shutting out those memories, Batwoman glided through the sky, listening for the Bat-Wave to signal an answer. Carefully, the man aimed the gun, and fired. "Ah!" Victoria screamed, clenching her eyes and losing her wind. The black figure plummeted to the ground like a fallen angel under the weight of uncertainty. Reaching into her utility belt, the young woman shot a grapple into the air, heard it catch onto the corner of a small business center, endured the impact as the rope ran out of slack, and let herself dangle. Her breath heavy and trembling, Batwoman shut her eyes and let the sweat run down her eyes and mouth. A cold wind blew on the city, chilling every single nerve in Tori's body.

"I don't know what happened," the young woman confessed as Alfred wrapped her swollen elbow. "I just...lost it for a second. That's never happened before."

"Prehaps your obsession with that horrid Venom is weighing heavier on your body than you thought," the Englishman suggested. Tori chuckled for a second before returning to her thoughts. _Your friends will go first..._

"I think I'm gonna call Cat tonight," the young woman declared. "Maybe she'll have more on her mind than Venom and the Roman."

"I would certainly hope so," Alfred dryly responded, putting away his medical supplies.

"Oh, and thanks, Alfred," Tori said, feeling the cast lock her joint into place. "For patching me up."

"You're welcome, Miss Victoria," the near-elderly man answered. "But do try to be more careful next time. Your medical insurance is growing longer than your current phone number." Catching Alfred's unique brand of humor, the girl chuckled, then went into the living room.

Later that night, Cat watched Trina paint her toe nails. "There you go, Kitty Cat," the brunette said, making one last stroke of her nail brush.

"Thanks, Trina," the dark-haired girl smiled, looking at the red hue and the artistic design on her toes. "They look pretty."

"Nice job, Trina," Victoria added. "Those cosmetics classes must be paying off."

"Yeah they are," the older girl happily agreed. "Your turn."

Resting on the ledge of a massive, nearly Gothic cathedral, Batwoman let the rain pour down her mask as she sat motionless. The night was aged and dying slowly, but that didn't seem to matter to the dark figure. _Why is it...for every good memory I have...there's always something worse to conquer it?_ Looking down on the city, the young woman saw a family of four standing in an alley. Then, the mother and father fell on their backs in a flash of light, leaving the two children alone. Unable to move, Tori merely watched the events play out before her. An ominous figure veiled in darkness charged out with several pearls and a wallet in hand. _Why is it I can't stop them? Why do I keep trying? Why did I try in the first place. _The two orphans cried over the bodies of their beloved parents, letting the blood streams soak their knees. It was so cold that night.

Days passed by. Watching the Venom addict speak with the girl he once cared about. This time, she seemed to be the one in need of another. "I'm sorry, Zoey," Chase said. "I have no idea about any of them anymore."

"I have to find him," the blond cried out, hoping in vein for someone to come with an answer. "Dustin wouldn't just run off like this."

_...Dustin Brooks_, Victoria thought, looking down at the young woman. Once visiting hours were over, the blond girl walked outside, wiped a tear from her young eyes, and began to head towards her car.

"I know how it feels," a raspy voice called out from behind the teenager, causing her to shoot her head around. "He's you brother...Dustin?"

"My god..." Zoey nervously answered, stepping back. Even among the shadows, she could see the white eyes. "You're the Batwoman...look, I'm sorry, I was just leaving." The report about the bombings came into the young woman's mind, but the presence she stood in frightened her beyond conscious thought.

"You need someone to find your brother," Batwoman forced onward, walking out of the shade. "I swear he'll come back to you."

"Don't you dare hurt him!" Zoey snapped, finding her inner strength once again.

"Miss Brooks..." Tori continued, her dark voice showing compassion and patience. "I won't let anything happen to him." Shocked, the girl remained still, watching the masked figure disappear into the night's sky. _What are you? _the blond girl thought, feeling herself develop a trust for the strange being before her.

_A missing child case...in the midst of major bomb threats, _Victoria thought as she flew through the air. _I have to find him before something happens..._ A rumble sounded in the distance, followed by the Bat-Wave's vibration. _...I have to find that kid. _Thomas and Martha reached out their hands and screamed as a ball of fire engulfed them; their help never came. Thrusting her eyes open, the Batwoman's jaw was dropped. _But I don't have a choice.._

Fire clawed its way towards the sky, crackling and roaring like a dying lion in the heat of the night. Every window was illuminated with a horrid red flame, and pure black smoke breathed its way into the heavens. Forcing herself into a downward spiral, Victoria threw herself inside from a window cill. The sweltering heat, blinding smoke, and flames ate at the young woman, though she refused to lay down and die; no matter how rewarding it felt. "Is anyone in here?" she cried out, looking around for any sign of life. "Anyone!" Looking down for a second, Tori saw something; a physical presence among the fire. Picking up a single, lightly charred teddy bear, the nightmarish idea that a child was somewhere inside the inferno. Forcing her weight downward, Batwoman smashed through the floors of the dying structure and slowly looked around. "Is anyone in here?" she demanded, starting to feel her throat sealing. "Anyone!" Nothing. Nothing but the scream of burning demons. Shutting her tearing eyes, the young woman threw herself out a window, landing on the ground below. Small flames licked the girl's cape as she collected her breath. "Is there anyone inside?" she asked a bystander.

"My son!" a young mother screamed, imagining her infant boy burning in the flames. Forcing herself up, the Batwoman gazed into the mouth of the fire, only to witness it explode right in front of her. "Nooo!" the woman cried. Falling to her knees, Tori felt it; failure, letting two lives die because of her.

"Oh, god," the dark figure gasped. "...I'm sorry...I couldn't save him." Millions of embers rained down on the land. Seeing the dying faces of her parents in each shred of lost life, Victoria dropped her head and covered her eyes. Muttered screams and pleading echoed in her ears, but she heard nothing.

"I...I couldn't save them, Alfred," Tori confessed, letting the wet towel soothe her neck. "All I found was..." The girl dropped the stuffed bear on the floor. "And I let him die... An infant."

"Miss Victoria, you did your best," Alfred replied. "You went above the call of duty, risked your own health. In a situation like that, even the Batwoman could overlook..."

"That's not how it's supposed to be!" Victoria screamed, waking up Trina. "I'm supposed to be better...I failed them! It's all my fault, Alfred...me. Not an accident...not a helpless situation...my fault."

Alfred glanced at the floor, picked up the bear, and studied it. "This was one of the failed bombs," he said, putting the teddy bear's face in front of Victoria's. "Unfortunately, the odds favor no one surviving the initial blast."

"But that woman..." Tori whispered, feeling tears form in her eyes. "She...my head! I...I can't do this anymore." Standing up, the young woman staggered out of the room.

"Miss Victoria!" the Englishman called, grabbing his charge's shoulder.

"Tori, stop!" Katrina hollered, running into the hallway with her sister. Too weak to fight, Tori let her legs give way, and she fell to the ground. Sobbing to herself, letting her brown locks cover her face, the teenager fell into despair.

_I..._

_I will remember how to fly..._

_Unlock the heavens in my mind._

"Sssh," Trina whispered, holding her little sister and stroking her hair softly. Tori gasped, barely able to breathe through her woeful tears. Alfred placed his arms around the two, closing his eyes.

_Follow my love back through the same secret door._

Her hair streamed around her face, Tori lay still in her bed that night, recalling every horrible image from the fire. Opening her eyes, the girl found the teddy bear, and realized a solution.

"Alfred," the young woman called into the dark room. "I did some research back at the asylum...then I dusted the bear...it's him. It's Dustin Brooks. The missing kid...Zoey's little brother."

_I've seen my close friends go insane...I saw it happen to Robbie and Sinjin. There was never any blood on the floor, though. But Dustin Brooks is just a kid. If I track the bombs, I'll find him. I just pray I'm wrong...the bomber's some lunatic broken out of the asylum; Dustin Brooks has just been at the library or an aunt's house. But it's never that simple. Never that painless._ Gliding through the air, Victoria felt the air around her thickening. Coughing, the young woman began to lose her balance; veering off to one side, Tori soon felt the icy embrace of glass shattering all around her. "Can't breathe..." she choked out. Taking a quick glance around her, the young woman found herself in an abandoned warehouse. The night was cold and unforgiving; not that forgiveness was ever an option.

"You won't have to," replied an eerily calm, malicious voice from the shadows. Her clothing torn, dangling, and blowing with an unseen breeze; her eyes burning a deep crimson color; her claws glistening among darkness, Scarecrow entered the Batwoman's sight. "This is the night of your damnation." Smiling a grizzly smile that held held millions of rotting maggots, flames, and dying lights. Laughing, the monster walked closer. Standing beside Scarecrow, a young blond boy stared into Batwoman's eyes. Trembling, Tori tried to move her paralyzed body. _No..._

_To be Continued..._


	21. Fear No Evil II

_Fear is the enemy of any trace of hope. Fear is what feeds on our weakness._

Batwoman: Victorious

Chapter Twenty: Fear No Evil II: Seduction of the Innocent

"What the hell are you doing with children?" Batwoman demanded, her voice gruff and vicious.

"Playing a game, bat girl," Paige answered, hovering above Dustin. "And here's my favorite part..." The Scarecrow's voice echoed with a very weak human nature and a devastating demonic undertone that seemed to have an essence of fire to it. "Beat the bomb." The creature disappeared into a cloud of fog, and the beeping began, leaving Dustin standing still. Throwing her eyes wide open, Victoria charged forward, wrapped the boy in her cape, and thrust herself backwards out a window. Screaming in pain, the girl felt thousands of shards of glass raining down through her skin. Blood spurted and poured out violently as the masked figure plummeted onto the roof of another warehouse. Her own blood seeping into a massive puddle, Victoria opened her cape and saw the boy's terrified little face.

"Are you okay?" Batwoman asked, ignoring her own physical agony. Dustin cringed, then nodded.

"Don't be afraid," Tori begged. "I'm here to save you...your sister needs you now."

"I'm fine on my own," the blond boy sharply replied, reaching into his pocket. "Here's my thank-you note." Dustin thrust the cold silver toy soldier into the air, then watched it bloat in a small orb of fire. Blocking her face, the Batwoman lost all hope that her theory was wrong. Lunging forward, still draining of her blood, Victoria clenched the boy's shoulder. He was cringing, crying; terrified. "Why did you do it?" she whispered. "People died!"

"No they didn't," Dustin fought, trying to struggle out of the dark figure's grasp. "I just left the toys...those placed were empty. Please...just let me go."

"I can't do that," Batwoman answered, keeping a stern face despite her concern. "You need help. Tell me where the Scarecrow went. We can stop him..." All of his artificial strength breaking down, Dustin fell to his knees and began crying. Tori fell silent, her jaw opened with astonished fright.

"Please...just leave me alone. You're a monster," the blond whispered through his thick tears. Wiping a single bead away with her black claw, Victoria felt her heart start to sink. "No I'm not," she tried to convince him. "I'm here to help you..." _Do I dare bring him to his sister? Risk her life? Risk a family member going through this? Or do I throw my humanity away and take him to Arkham?_ "Who built those toys?" the cloaked figure continued, trying to be gentle.

"I did," Dustin sobbed, keeping his head down. "Didn't want to...hurt anyone. Just a game."

"You don't have to play that game anymore," Batwoman declared. "Take my hand...I can bring you back to Zoey." Swallowing his tears and fear, the boy closed his eyes and took the creature's claw. Looking down for a second, Tori saw no cuts or blood on her body, and turned to the night's sky.

"I brought him back to the apartment Zoey's staying at," Tori explained. "I bugged the room; if anything happens, I'll know."

"That was wise," Alfred replied. "I don't question your judgment for a moment, Miss Victoria."

"...He was terrified, Alfred," the brunette confessed, looking at the floor. "Crying...I did that to him. I'm supposed to scare criminals...not children. If it weren't for all this..." The girl dropped her cowl. "Maybe he'd have talked."

"Miss Victoria..." the Englishman began.

"I'm sorry, Alfred, but I need to think," the girl interrupted, walking up the stairs to her room. Alfred clenched his chest, then fell to his knees out of the corner of Tori's eyes. Turning back, the young woman saw she was now alone. The mansion was dark. Trina had been silent for hours. However, things needed tending to.

Sitting in her room, working on a sewing project, Tori heard a crack of lightning and a suge of thunder from behind her; the same window the bat flew in through all that time ago. _Hello, Tori, _a near-satanic voice greeted the young woman. Shooting her head back, Victoria saw the Scarecrow standing before her; her eyes red, her fingers molted into claws, and her slender figure stretched to nightmarish proportions. _It's very cold...It's very cold in here...I'll warm it up._ Suddenly, the entire room caught fire. Tori covered her mouth in a vein attempt to conserve breatheable air, and began coughing. Vicious flames cascaded among the air; dancing through Batwoman uniforms and old photographs. "Stop!" Tori screamed, slamming into the door behind her...and finding herself alone in an empty, silent room. Breathing heavily, the young woman slowly regained her composure.

Dustin and Zoey sat together in the apartment, looking over some pictures of their parents. Suddenly, a breeze hit the two. "Excuse me," called out a calm, lightly smokey voice from the open window. Stepping out of the darkness, Tori revealed a gray uniform with a small bat ensignia surrounded by a yellow oval, blue gloves and cape, and a blue cowl. "I need to talk with Dustin," she said, trying to disguise her voice. Zoey and her little brother stood up. Guarding her sibling, the blond girl looked straight at the mysterious figure before her. "Thanks for bringing him back." Batwoman nodded. "What do you want?"

"I need to ask him some questions about the time he was missing," the vigilante answered plainly. "I'm sorry to put you through this, but I need your help."

"...I'm staying with you," Zoey decided, holding Dustin closer to her heart. Dustin nodded. Feeling her heart sink; knowing what she had to do, Tori sat down and gazed at the young boy.

"The Scarecrow," the masked figure asked, her voice calm. "What do you know about her?"

"She told me to put the toys in different places," Dustin began. "Then, they blew up. And...I don't know. I just...kept doing it. She kept telling me to." Zoey's heart slowly shattered at what she was hearing. This wasn't happening; it couldn't be.

"Did you make the toys?" Batwoman asked, growing more and more concerned by the second. Dustin nodded. "...When?"

"I started doing it before I met Scarecrow," the blond boy confessed. "I don't know...I was angry...I started drawing stuff and...then I started building stuff."

"But why bombs?" Tori asked. "What drove you to make weapons?"

"I was upset," Dustin answered. "I wanted...I guess I wanted the bullies to get hurt."

"You killed those people," Zoey whispered, her grasp on her baby brother slipping.

"No," Dustin fought back. "No one was hurt...those places were empty." Silence filled the entire room; dragging its thick tentacles throughout every inch of the air.

"Where are the rest of the toys, Dustin?" Batwoman instructed, leaning closer to the blond. "It's not too late to make this right...You knew no one would be hurt."

"But I wanted it to happen," the child tried to blame himself.

"We can help you, Dustin," Tori insisted. "Hurting people won't solve anything...Bombs kill people...you're just a kid. You're not a killer. You have to stop now. That's the only way you can find redemption. Please."

"...If hurting people doesn't mean anything," Dustin began, his voice crackling with pain. "Then why do _you_ do it?" Lightning struck, and the Batwoman found herself sitting still in front of the Brooks siblings. "What?" she asked.

"I said they're in a box...outside an old movie theater," the boy answered.

"Thank you, Dustin," the vigilante replied. "Zoey...are you okay?" The young woman shook her head, let go of her brother, and ran into her temporary bedroom, slamming the door behind her. "...You have to stop this. Do you know where Scarecrow is?" Dustin shook his head. "Talk to your sister...don't lose her." The boy nodded, then ran to his sister's door. Turning back, Dustin saw the room was empty; only the wind disturbed the stillness.

"Beck, it's Tori," Victoria said, holding her cell phone up to her masked ear. "I'm really sorry, but I can't make it tonight...I know...I love you, too. Thanks. Bye." The Batwoman turned her eyes towards the illuminated city.

_It's quiet now; The universe is standing still_

"Leaving only mysterious toys behind, the culpret remains anonymous," a news reporter recited. As still as ice in his r.v., Beck swallowed hard. _Oh god, no, _he begged to himself, looking at his novelty weapons; the tools the Red Hood used. Charging out of the sanctity of his home, the young man grabbed his mask and charged into the city.

_There's nothin' I can say_

_ There's nothin' we can do now _

_There's nothin' I can say There's nothin' we can do now_

Lifting the box closer, the Batwoman observed the corrupted, childlike weapons. It was all so wrong. So much like Columbine, but wrapped in such an innocent package. Scarecrow could have fed Dustin the story; let someone else take her blame. Somehow, though, that didn't seem to be the case. Dropping the box and stepping back, Tori clenched her throbbing forehead. "I can't concentrate," she declared. "...What's wrong with me?"

"I have a guess," answered a horrifically familiar voice. Her eyes widening, the Batwoman lunged backwards, thrusting herself stomach-down onto the ground. An explosion shrieked throughout the night, passing over the vigilante's fire-retardant cape. Once the fire had died, the girl looked up to see Dustin Brooks holding a detonator with trembling hands. "Pretty story, wasn't it?"

"Too pretty," Tori snarled, throwing a silver batarang at the child, lodging it into the machine, and causing a short out. Dropping the sparking detonator, Dustin looked up to see the Batwoman upon him.

"It's over, kid," the vigilante declared, holding out her hand to receive the boy's hand and custody.

"Yes it is," Scarecrow declared, impaling the Batwoman's back with a long knife. "Bleed for me." Coughing out hot, burning blood, Victoria's eyes were wide and coated in haze. "One, nineteen-eight-one-thirteen-five, twenty five-fifteen-twenty one, twenty three-fifteen-fourteen-twenty, twelve-nine-twenty two-five, twenty-fifteen, nineteen-five-five, twenty five-fifteen-twenty one-eighteen, nine-fourteen-twenty-fifteen-twenty four-nine-three-one-five-four, nine-fourteen, six-five-one-eighteen." Then, everything went black. _I know who you are, Tori, _the hideous voice whispered. _If you ever wake up...you awake to your own personal hell._

Scarecrow held Dustin's hand as the two walked towards the Vega mansion. Knocking on the door, Paige was met by Alfred. The blood was soon and thick to pour onto the ground and paint the walls. Trina never woke up from her slumber. For the last time, the Batwoman failed those she loved, and Zoey was rumored to have killed herself upon learning the truth about her baby brother. Millions of bats now lay motionless, chilled, and dead on the Vega family's yard, and the dawn never came for Los Angeles.


	22. Fear No Evil III

Batwoman: Victorious

Chapter Twenty One: Fear No Evil III: Requiem

Forcing her hand out of the ground, digging her gloved fingers into the dirt and wet grass, the Batwoman dragged her body out of the premature burial Scarecrow thrust her into. Night had swallowed the city, and rain was spreading all over the land. Collecting her breath, the young woman tried to force her eyes to adjust; trees and buildings were spinning and doubling viciously. Doubling over, Batwoman choked, and vomited onto the floor. Her eyes shut, Tori recalled the images of blood, death, failure, and loss. _There wasn't a knife..._ Her heart rate slowed at a gentle rate. _This isn't natural...I've been drugged._ Pressing her hand against her ear, Tori listened to the signal being found. "Alfred," she said, her trembling voice turning strong.

"Yes, Miss Victoria," the Englishman answered.

"Scarecrow's on the rampage," Tori answered, walking away from the mound of dirt that once held her. "She has Dustin with her...spoke to me in code before leaving. It translated to "_too bad you won't live to see your city intoxicated in fear"._

"I'm afraid that the Scarecrow's message was more than threat this time, madame," Alfred replied. "The entire city is currently under lock down. If you have a plan, Miss Victoria, you best enact it soon." Closing her eyes, the young woman smelled a trace of fear toxin tainting the air.

"Are you and Trina okay?" the girl asked, feeling the visions start to consume her. Falling to her knees, the Batwoman struggled to keep her breathing under control.

"Yes, we are fine and currently taking cover," Alfred answered, his voice reassuring. "What about you, Miss Victoria? We lost communication for several hours."

"The Scarecrow had me buried," Tori answered, falling to her knees in shock. "She didn't account for my body going into a meditative state once the drug knocked me out. Something I owe Sonya. I can't do this alone...not this time."

Standing on the roof of a massive building, Scarecrow watched the city flood over with the toxin. "You're too late to save them, Batwoman," the demented figure declared, her eyes piercing the night's sky with a wicked red glow. Batwoman stood staunchly at the edge of the building, facing the back of her opponent. "They're tearing themselves apart. One...by...one. All because you couldn't stop me."

"Where's the boy?" Tori demanded, her voice gruff and short. Batwoman's graphite helmet, black body armor, and near-completely fireproof cape glistened among the fires burning in the city; Luscious' prototype was awe-inspiring. Her bladed arms were still, and prepared for combat.

"With the rest," Paige happily answered, not looking away from her demonic masterpiece. "Slowly letting fear become them...Wasn't this your goal? To bring fear to the city?"

"Don't try to compare yourself to me," Batwoman replied. "You have no ideals, no morals...My question is why?...Why drown an entire city of innocents?"

"Fear is the only absolute," Scarecrow answered, facing the Batwoman. "And I have you to thank for teaching me that...You injected me all those times...made me feel the true beauty of terror. Every time you thought you won...you only made me stronger. And every time you thought you saved yourself...you only let the toxin hide out of the sight of your mind...it's been inside you the whole time; slowly eating away at you. You were never free after your first injection." Laughing at her sick accomplishment, the girl walked closer to Victoria; her mouth and eyes a satanic fire burning in the darkness of an endless night. "All this time, your mind's been crumbling...your psyche cracking and rotting from the inside. You were the perfect lab rat for my experiment."

"Then why let them arrest you?" Tori shot back, showing no fear, even as her heart pounded viciously inside of her.

"What better place than solitary confinement to learn how to handle your fear?" Paige answered, brandishing her claws. "And to plan...Thank hell for you, Batwoman. Whoever...whatever you are under that mask. You've done more for me than you could ever imagine. You've helped drown your own city!"

Dustin sat alone in an empty warehouse, holding himself in a sitting fetal position. His eyes were fixed on the cold, damp ground he sat upon. Suddenly, a new shadow cast itself over the child. "You're not hard to follow," a masked figure declared, walking closer to his target. "You have some nice toys...mind if I have 'em?" Stepping into a dim light, Red Hood glared at Dustin, then grabbed a model truck. "You stole my style, toy man... Stay outta trouble." With that, the young man charged out of the warehouse and into the gas-filled city. Dustin refused to move; his breath heavy.

"The water they drink...the air they breathe," Scarecrow declared. "It's all laced with the fear toxin...and I will have the pleasure of watching it all take place." Silence filled the air. "But first...I slay the Bat." Lunging forward, Paige slashed her claw at Tori's throat, only to be dodged and kicked in the center of her back. Batwoman watched as her leg broke and bled. _Just the drug...she lies...All fear is a lie. _Charging forward, the young woman tackled the Scarecrow, thrusting both of them onto a lower building.

"I will bathe in your blood," Paige snarled, fighting the foe who pressed down on her entire body. Her claws glistening, Scarecrow attempted to gorge out Batwoman's eyes, but was all but crippled.

"It's over," Tori's raspy voice commanded. Jutting her elbow out, the young woman pressed the blades into Paige's neck, nearly drawing blood. "Give me the cure."

"There is no cure," Scarecrow laughed. "This city will die of fear, Batwoman, and so will you." Her face frozen, Scarecrow melted into the ground, leaving Batwoman clawing at the floor to pick up any sign of her. Suddenly, the girl felt four blades pierce her back. "Surprise," Scarecrow mocked, seeing fear growing in her enemy's face. "I'll be alive forever; watching as you die."

"What drove you to this, Paige?" Batwoman asked, tears streaming down her face. "Was life really this horrible?"

"To live with," Scarecrow answered. With that, Victoria thrust herself around, snapping the four blades, and drove her black fist into Paige's masked face, knocking her on her back. "What..."

"My armor..." Tori began, picking up her opponent by the fabric around her neck. "My secrets." Batwoman pulled Paige into her face, and glared into her eyes. "No more gas... no more mercy. Try real fear for once." Throwing Paige off the edge of the building, Tori listened to her screams; heard them amongst the screams of thousands of innocent people. Shooting a grapple down, the dark figure watched Scarecrow's fall stop and send her crashing through the glass of a lower story window.

Breathing heavily, Scarecrow untied the rope, and began to run. "Going my way?" Tori asked, smashing through the window before her enemy. Roughly grabbing her foe, Batwoman flipped her in the air, then threw her against a cold iron wall. "Stop this now!" the masked vigilante demanded. "Give me their cure. Don't you dare tell me you didn't make a failsafe."

"You can break my bones, but not my goal," Paige argued. Smashing the psychotic criminal into the wall once again, Batwoman clenched her teeth and tightened her eyes. "You have no goal!" Tori screamed. "Only a list of casualties...and you're going to join them." Reaching into Paige's sleeve, Tori pulled out a pistol and placed it to her enemy's face.

"No," Paige whispered, feeling cold sweat start to form on the back of her neck.

"What would it matter?" Batwoman replied, her anger freezing over her entire body. "If you won't cure them...why let you live?" Giving up all of her strength, the criminal dropped her arms, letting vile after vile of the antidote fall to the ground. Throwing Paige to the ground, Batwoman grabbed every container of the fluid, then turned to the city through the broken window.

All this time, the gas could have been a lie; the people an illusion. No one was dying...not yet. Turning back to the Scarecrow, Batwoman made her final remark; "How does real fear taste to you, Howard?"

Dustin sat alone, repeating something to himself. Maybe it was a childhood poem. Maybe not. Slowly, a door slid open, and a blond young woman entered. "Dustin," she said, her voice vulnerable but firm. "What happened to you?"

"I can't do it anymore, Zoey..." Dustin whispered, not looking away from the shadows. "I'm sorry. I just...I don't know what's wrong with me. Please...I'm sorry." Dropping to her knees, Zoey wrapped her hands around her brother, and cried into his soft blond hair.

Batwoman and Scarecrow stared at one another. "You can't break me," Tori declared, thrusting her fist into the criminal and knocking her onto the floor, shattering several boards. "You can't poison my people...and you can't win this!"

"Stop this!" Paige begged, her pulse running cold.

"This is what you wanted," Batwoman replied, her voice void of any emotion. "Fear...the thrill of every moment spent in terror." Silence filled the air; Scarecrow remained motionless. "Or did you just want the drug?" Tori asked, stepping closer to her foe. "You have no idea what fear is...what it means to be in the dark." Trembling, Paige gasped, and watched the dark figure descend upon her.

_Scarecrow's fear toxin did have a cure...and it's been flowing in the water since last night; no casualties were reported, and the one who praised fear turned herself in, begging to let go of all she was terrified of. As for Dustin and Zoey..._

"He was poisoned by Scarecrow's gas," Batwoman revealed, looking into Zoey's watering eyes. "He should be back to his normal self soon. I'm sorry you two had to go through all of this."

"It wasn't just the gas," Dustin confessed, unable to look at the vigilante or his own sister. "I was upset...my parents haven't...it was stupid."

"I understand, Dustin," Batwoman replied, her voice warm. "You didn't mean to hurt anyone, though...the visions were horrible...but you can put all this behind you. The courts have to have their say...but give me the bombs...and you'll be considered a victim; the two of you can let all this go."

"...Are you serious?" the blond young woman replied, her heart washing over with relief.

"Redemption is something I learned about along the road I took," Tori explained. "I just wish I'd believed in it before...go back home. Forget about me...about all of this. Get the help you need, and let this all be a bad dream." Dustin ran over to Batwoman, threw his arms around her, and clsoed his eyes. Shocked, Victoria placed her arms on the child, and let her heart soften to his embrace.

"I love you guys," Tori confessed to Trina, Alfred, Cat, Beck, Jade, and Andre'. "Thank for...always being there for me." With that, fear faded into the darkness of the night. Dustin and Zoey were placed in the custody of their mother and father once again. Although they had their qualms, the Brooks family swore to come to an agreement for the sake of their children. Dustin began attending councilling on a regular basis to work out his depression and anger issues. In time, Zoey saw her baby brother once again. No one forgot the night hell tried to freeze over; everyone found another way, though.

_"Goodnight, Los Angeles...Goodnight, Alfred, Trina, and friends...Goodnight cape and cowl...Goodnight Arkham and Scarecrow...Goodnight all."_ Fading into the shadows, the Batwoman let herself find peace; if only for a moment at the thought of Dustin and the redemption he and his sister chose.


	23. One More Day

Batwoman: Victorious

Chapter Twenty Two: One More Day

"Happy birthday, Tori!" a large crowd happily cried as Victoria sat before her cake. December fifth had arrived on one of the warmest days of the winter.

"Happy eighteenth, bud," Cat said, giving her friend a tight hug, which Tori gratefully accepted. Beck, Andre', Alfred, Trina, Cat, and Jade then applauded the young woman as she blew out the candles on the cake.

_Do you think Scarecrow was right?...That I've been under her influence all this time? _

Trina put a pink, pointed hat topped with blue stripes atop her little sister's head, gave her a quick cheek-touching hug, and smiled. Beck smiled, holding onto Jade's hand with a gentle, caring intensity that all but reassured Tori that the two were the couple they used to be.

_That I only got a partial cure?...No, that can't be right. Alfred?_

Tori sat alone in her bedroom, staring into any shade she could find on the moon-lit night. Her eyes remained fixated and expressionless as she debated everything. Hours had passed, though they felt like mere minutes. _I just hope Zoey and Dustin are okay...they deserve that much._

_You have nothing to fear from the Scarecrow's threats, Miss Victoria, _Alfred answered his charge. _Your system is void of any toxins._

_Why don't I believe him?_ Tori dropped her concerns and began opening presents.

"How'd I let it happen?" Beck asked himself later that night. "How could I just put back on the mask and steal from that kid...It's like the mask's inside of me...like I'm naturally a criminal." Losing his composure, the young man's jaw quivered, and he broke down crying into his hands. The red mask lay atop the boy's chair; watching him. "I have to stop it...I can't be the Red Hood anymore. I'm a worker at Ace Chemicals...that's all I have to be." Tears burned in Beck's eyes all that night.

_If I could change my life..._

Throwing her cowl onto the ground, Victoria dropped her head, letting the shadows in her room blind her. No meditation or breathing could help her now; not like this.

_Be a simple kind of man;_

_Try to do the best I can_

Cat and Andre' walked down the street, basking in the glow of street lights. Suddenly, a shadow glided above them though nothing was in sight when they looked up. "What the..." Andre' exclaimed, his voice nearly a whisper.

_I've lost so much..._ Tori saw the bullets again; tears formed in her eyes; her parents' blood splattered on the ground as their bodies gave into death and turned limp; shutting her eyes and taking deep, cleansing, trembling breaths, the young woman tried to forget; to forgive herself. _I've lost the faith inside of me...I've lost myself. _Images of the Batwoman flashed in the girl's mind like bombs blasting into an inferno; her bat-like ears glistened like knives, her white eyes piercing through darkness, and her cape spread in the air like the wings of a giant, demonic bat. As her throughts became rampant, the girl felt something in her hand; the Bat-Wave was pulsating. Her hands trembling, Victoria gazed down at the device, let tears blind her, and dropped it onto the floor. "Mom...Dad...I'm sorry," she exclaimed, burying her face in her weak hands.

"Are you sure you're okay?" Cat asked, putting her hand on Tori's.

"Yeah, Kitten," the brunette choked out. "I'm fine...I'm not thinking about it anymore."

"Sorry you didn't have a nice birthday," the dark-haired young woman replied, her voice so emotionally naked and true it hurt.

"It's not that," Tori sobbed, shaking her head. "It's...it's everything else. The whole city was locked down and I...I don't even know." Cat gave her best friend a warm hug, and let her cry into her shoulder.

"Miss Victoria," Alfred said that same day. "I couldn't help but notice the Bat-Wave excessively buzzing. Is everything alright?"

"...I think I let them down," Tori gathered the strength to confess. "I think it's over..." Alfred looked at his charge, not knowing what to do. "What the Scarecrow said...maybe the world's better off without the Batwoman. Maybe I was wrong all along."

"Miss Victoria," the Englishman replied, showing an heir of disapproval in his voice. "There were days when I prayed you would forever abandon the cape and cowl...but not out of shame or fear. Your vitals have been tested...Paige Howard is a psychopath who would say anything to intimidate her foes; you must believe you're alright." Tori sat still and silent as the glow of a slowly-setting sun shined upon her.

Crouched down atop the back of a time-torn gargoyle, her white eyes shifting their view from reality to memories, Victoria began to feel the weight of all that had been done and decided. Beneath her, the city was blazing with its warm yet freezing lights and hues. Rain poured down upon her back and cowl as Tori remained still. _What am I? What did I become? There's no one left to bring me back this time...I've been misguided this whole time._ Images flashed by without mercy; hues, streaks of light, and flashes that out shined the entire sky. Horizons were blurred. Then, amongst it all, Victoria could still see them. She could still see their faces, even as they faded from the world. "Mom...Dad..." she whispered, her eyes closed and hidden by her black mask and her voice trembling and broken. "I'm sorry." Clenching her fist, the young woman saw them all; Robbie, Sinjin, Chase Matthews, Paige Howard, Red Hood, Zoey and Dustin Brooks, Cat, Jade, Beck, Andre', Alfred, Trina, Talia, Sonya, Vince; All those in her life: all those who endured their own scars; all those who chose their own roads. All those who became lost in their own ways. "I let them go..." Tori whispered, lowering her head. "I could've...why didn't I..." Silence swallowed the distractions and noises of the city.

The Bat crashed through the window in the Vega mansion, flapping its wings violently as it circled the roof. Engrossed, Victoria recited the swear she made to her parents' memory, and chose her destiny. Lightning struck above the Batwoman as she meditated on her shattered life. "I remembered you that night...how did I lose you?" she asked herself. Dustin Brooks found himself again. _Was I ever in control of myself?_ Ra's beat the girl over the head in a vicious flash. Letting out a sharp gasp, Tori forced her eyes shut as her face tightened into a defensive scowl.

Beck lay on his couch, blinding himself with his horrid red mask. _What am I? _he asked himself. _Maybe I've been wrong all along...maybe this is what I'm meant to be..._

_ Why can't I just take it all back? _Tori begged to herself. As the world grew colder, the rain turned to piercing ice. Ignoring the slits forming on her cheek, Victoria held herself in place. Blood began to fall upon the city. Lifting her head, the young woman spread her arms out, letting her cape mold itself into a pair of wings. _I own everything I've done...I'm sorry._ Forcing herself forward, the Batwoman let herself fall. Her heart pounding, the girl witnessed the lights and buildings around her turning into a vortex surrounding her. Still, she held herself in a dive. _Forgive me._

No one was around this time; no one was waiting to catch her. Tears streamed down Tori's face, washing some of the blood away. Tori walked into Hollywood Arts for her first day. Trina was there to guide her, and Alfred was never far out of reach. Cat gave her loving friend a hug: took the noose, Andre' gave her council, Beck gave her something compassion, Jade, at last, gave her friendship, and the Batwoman...gave her new life. _They're not there for me...but they're always with me._ Remembering who she truly was; the reason why she fought; the responsibility she owed the world and herself. Scarecrow's words were lies. The Batwoman was always different from what others knew. Victoria Vega was the outcast, the night; the memory and honor of her parents; Batwoman. Forcing herself upward, the young woman turned her spiral into a glide as the Bat-Wave sounded. _I will not be defined...I will not disgrace the memory of my mother and father...My friends...I won't give in. I'll never let you go._


	24. Haven

Batwoman: Victorious

Chapter Twenty Three: Haven

"I've got the drugs...now all I need is the receiver," Batwoman declared, pressing on her earpiece. "Once I get that evidence, I know I can take down Falcone's entire organization."

"That is good news, Miss Victoria," Alfred replied on the other end of the line, sounding genuinely pleased. "Now do be careful tonight."

"If I can, Alfred," the teenager answered with a smile as she lept from atop a sky scraper and glided through the night's sky.

Tori and Cat held their books under their arms, forming a barrier between themselves and the rest of the world. Although the school was warm, an heir of coldness existed in the atmosphere. "I can't believe it's almost Christmas vacation," Cat happily declared, looking at her friend. Her voice was pure, innocent, and filled with the excitement only a child could have.

"I know," Tori happily replied, letting a smile form on her face. "And that means we can hang out with Jade more."

"Every day if we can," the dark-haired young woman added. "Hey, maybe it'll snow and we can all build a snowman together." Tori allowed herself to envision the sweet fantasy, as if Jade would always be with her and the others; the way it should have been.

"I'd like that," Victoria decided. "I hope it snows this winter."

"Hey, guys," Andre' greeted the two, walking up beside them. "Mind if I join you?"

"Sure," Tori answered. "Hope you have your ticket." The group chuckled as they continued on to their class. "Can you believe there's only one day left until vacation?"

"I know," the African American teenager replied. "It's been the longest year I can remember, but now it's like half over."

"Thank heaven," Beck added, joining the group alongside Trina. "Hey, guys."

"Hey," the three friends greeted. Andre', Beck, Cat, Trina, and Tori; each standing side by side, walked down the hallway as the air grew colder outside. Los Angeles was completely chilled over; its trees naked and lifeless. Weak gray clouds blocked the light from a lightly warm sun. Fall was over; its essence buried in the cold.

Sitting on her couch, Jade stuck out her tongue for Dr. Fries to inspect her throat, Jade closed her eyes and tried to shut out the cold winter breeze trying to reach her. "Your throat shows no signs of swelling, Miss West," the doctor declared, putting his supplies away.

"Thanks, Mr. Fries," Jade replied, tucking herself under a blanket. "So, any plans for today?"

"Not today," the man casually answered. "Going to spend some quality time with Nora."

"That sounds nice," the semi-Gothic young woman replied. "My friends and I are due for some quality time, too." Victor smiled at his patient. "The best part of the holidays," he said, his voice turning warmer.

"We should've never trusted those bastards," a gruff-voiced man declared, snapping his lighter lid closed. "And now there's nothing on 'em?"

"No, sir," a young Italian man answered, his heart starting to pound in fear.

"Damn it!" Falcone screamed, throwing his pitcher of wine on the ground, shattering it. "I want this guy dead! I want Batwoman dead! Find them."

"Yes, sir," the man nervously replied, departing from the dark room.

Jade, Beck, and Cat sat side by side on the couch while Andre', Tori, and Trina lay on the carpet with Eva, watching The Nightmare Before Christmas. "This is nice," Cat said, leaning against her dear friend.

"Yeah," Jade answered. "Thanks for coming, guys."

"No problem, Jade," Tori happily answered, feeling the blessing of the friendship, even as her guilt tried to consume her. Beck bit his lip, holding onto his lover's hand. "Thanks for having us."

That night, snow fell over California; trees were frosted over and covered in a dream-like white coating. Under the enchanting light of a nearly full moon, the frosted snow blanket appeared blue and glistening to the eye. Crouched atop a gargoyle, the Batwoman glared down at the city, searching for any form of crime. Closing her eyes, the young woman dove down into the city, spreading her cape to glide among the sky scrapers. Surging with energy, the Bat-Wave began to vibrate. Realizing the threat, Victoria tightened her eyes, and took a sharp left through two twin buildings. _Armed robbery...someone wants my attention._

Throwing herself down onto the ground, the Batwoman allowed her cape to flood over her body as she rose up onto her feet. Glaring, the dark figure entered the bank to find twenty armed men in black masks. "Payed a visit to the Russian, I see," Tori declared, her voice cold and void of any emotion as she inspected the guns. Chucking a black batarang into the air, Batwoman dove onto the ground, letting the henchmen shoot at random upon the shattering of the only source of light. Screams tore through the darkness, leaving each remaining man terrified. Loading his gun for another round, a young Italian man swallowed the urge to scream, and tried to adjust his eyes to the shadows. Suddenly, his legs gave way, and he found himself dangling upside down from an unseen roof. "What's happening? the man cried out.

"You're in trouble," Batwoman replied, letting go of the rope that held the man up. Hollering in terror, the man felt his bond snap up, leaving him elevated only several feet from a cold, jagged cement floor. "I know you have a pill on you...but that won't stop me this time...now..." The Batwoman scowled as she brought her white eyes out of the shadow and into the man's face. "Who sent you? Answer me!" Gasping, the man began to tremble. "Now!" The man cried out, his eyes tightly shut and his throat bearing thick lines of tension. "Answer me! Who sent you! Tell me!" His heart pounding, his pulse racing, his body covered in icy cold sweat, the thug felt burning tears well up in his eyes.

"Falcone!" the coward finally cried out. Then, he fell silent and cold, and the Batwoman let go of the rope.

"More suicide agents," Tori informed the man, setting her cowl on her night stand. "I recorded a confession from the last one...but I couldn't save him...and they're framing the Russian."

"At least one crime family shall meet judgment, ma'am," the Englishman tried to comfort his charge.

"And that means one less shoot out," the teenager tried to comfort herself. "Less casualties...justice at the price of a lie...And the Roman's still free. Even if that confession is enough to convict him...they'll never find him."

"Will the Batwoman attempt to aid the authorities in this situation?" Alfred asked, his tone containing its normal level of sarcasm.

"Somewhat," Tori answered, dawning her glasses and making some notes. "...But on her own terms." The young woman picked up a piece of notebook paper from inside Batwoman's utility belt and read it over. "Falcone's shipment was a start...he knew to place his men away from his usual hot spots...he would be avoiding any and all gang activity, but he wants the Batwoman...he's trying to kill me; doesn't care about the cost."

"And in doing so, he decided he could make another attempt on his opponent's legal standing," the Englishman added, looking over the same paper.

"There's gotta be more to it than this," Victoria replied. "It's too superficial...he's got to have a reason for all this. Maybe he wanted me to find that shipment...there's not even an address or information on the orderer."

"Perhaps the Batwoman is more than the Roman expected," Alfred coined.

"...Or he's got someone to answer to," Tori replied. "Someone higher than him who can afford a slip up. Maybe Falcone's not the one I should be after."

"What are you implying?" the butler finalized.

"Maybe Falcone's replacement was more than what we thought," the young woman answered.

"Are you getting all this, sir?" a young man asked Falcone, entering the dark room.

"Yes," the Roman answered, grinning a sick grin.

"Hey Beck, I got your text message," Tori said, walking into the young man's van. Once inside, Tori saw Jade laying down on the couch, and Beck pasing back and forth. "Hey Jade." The Gothic young woman moaned lightly, her eyes half-shut. "...What's up?"

"Cat wanted to meet us all here," the young man answered. "Something about..." Beck slowly walked forward, exuding a cool, collected aura. "Making the world's largest snowman."

"Now that sounds cool," Tori answered. That same night, the Batwoman sat atop a massive building's curved top, staring at the city. "Where are you..." Suddenly, the Bat-Wave began to pulsate. A smile forming on her face, the Batwoman threw her arms out to the side, letting her cape drop down in the form of bat wings. Letting herself fall forward, the young woman entered a glide into the city. "It ends tonight."

"Hello?" Beck called out, looking around the empty building. "Mr. Johnson? Anyone?"

"Welcome, Beck," answered an unfamiliar voice from among the darkness. "We've heard so much about you...I think you left this at home." Beck felt the red fabric fall into his hand. _My god, _the young man gasped, trying not to vomit. "Red Hood...is that what they call you?"

"Who are you?" Beck called back, trying to find anyone. "What the hell do you want?"

"Just to make new friends," the voice answered as its holder stepped out from the darkness. "The name's Aaron..." the old man continued. "You got sloppy one night...took your mask off in the open. I'm here to give you a new beginning." Beck clenched his fist and teeth. "We know who you care about...we know why you put on the mask on the first place. Her name's Jade, right?" Letting go of his rage, the boy opened his eyes wide. "Try this on for size, Beck." The old man handed Beck a red, metal helmet in the shape of half an oval. "Jade would love it on you, don't you think?"

"...I'll do what you want," the young man gave in, envisioning his lover bloody and broken at the hands of those who knew... _You have my soul._

Diving down, the Batwoman smashed through the glass of a massive sky scraper. "Batwoman," an old Roman man declared, walking down a flight of stairs. "The police are on their way...they'll have the pleasure of cleaning up your blood." Smiling, Falcone pulled out a pistol; aiming it at the vigilante's head.

"I doubt they're here for trespassing," Batwoman snarled. "The finger prints are already at the station. You were damned before you heard my plan. Your bug was easy enough to track." Tori reached into her cowl, pulled out the electronic device implanted to spy on her and her family, and crushed it between her black-gloved fingers. "Until they get here...it's you and me." _This is why I'm here...it's almost done, Mom, Dad. _The lights suddenly shut off, drowning the two in complete darkness.

"Where are you?" Falcone cried, looking all around; unable to settle himself. Suddenly, the Roman felt two powerful hands grab his legs, pull him onto the ground, and drag him out the window.

"Without your men, you're as good as mine," Batwoman snarled, tying Falcone's legs together from one of the twists on the contemporary building. Hearing the sound of guns loading, Tori thrust herself forward, letting hundreds of bullets miss her as she approached the Roman's armed gang on the lower levels of the building.

"You're gonna hit the boss," one of the men cried out.

"He's the last of our worries," another of the thugs answered, trying to reload before the Batwoman got to him. Smashing through the glass, Victoria watched as millions of shards of glass rained down upon the Roman's army. Blood poured down onto the floor. Smashing down on two of the goons, the Batwoman thrust her fist into a bald man's skull, then tore his gun from his hand and swung it at another man, knocking him down on his knees. "Go on...shoot, damn you!" the man cried out, staring at the gun.

Looking down at herself, Tori saw the hands and the gun that silenced her parents. Dropping the wooden-handled shotgun, the young woman took a step back, felt someone attempt to choke her from the back, and thrust him onto his back in front of her. Throwing her elbow into another armed man's stomach, Batwoman heard his ribs cracking, then jumped on and disarmed a woman with a shaved head.

"This is the police!" a gruff voice called out. "We have this place surrounded." Several helicopters circled the building. "Put down your guns or you will be fired upon!" Looking around, the authorities failed to find the Batwoman. Falcone was caught red-handed and arrested, along with all of his known accomplishes on that day. Batwoman went unrecognized for her efforts in bringing the Roman to justice.

"Was this the last we shall see of the Batwoman, Miss Victoria?" Alfred asked, his heart growing hopeful, though his mind knew better.

"...I don't know, Alfred," Tori answered, gazing down at a photograph of her parents. "...I'm not sure I can ever give the cowl."

"And the city thanks you every night for that," the Englishman replied, causing Tori to look away from the image of Thomas and Martha. For once, Alfred found himself smiling at the face of the Batwoman.


	25. Vice

Batwoman: Victorious

Chapter Twenty Four: Vice

The water raged downward upon the young woman. Her eyes closed, her long brown hair clinging to her head and neck, the girl let the icy waters completely drench her naked body. Around the small waterfall, the snow and ice glistened with the broken promise of a sunlight-blessed day. Choking in breaths, the young woman looked up to see Ra's standing before her. "Your skills are impressive, Victoria," he declared as the two sparred inside the fire-hearted wooden dojo. "But your inability to use them...to give in to your anger and become its master, makes you weak." Swinging his wooden sword at Tori's knees, the man watched his opponent fall to the ground. "There are no permanents in life, Victoria," he promised her.

Sitting completely still on her couch, the young woman remembered every vicious second of her training with the League of Shadows. _I was wrong, _she declared to herself. _My job could never have ended with Falcone...Los Angeles needs the Batwoman. They deserve a hero...not me. But I'm all they have. The question is...what am I really fighting for?_

Sitting on the couch inside his trailer, Beck gently stroked Tori's long brown hair. "You okay?" he asked, his voice just above a whisper. "You've been really quiet lately."

"Yeah...Just got alot on my mind," Tori answered.

"Do you wanna talk about it?" the young man asked. Victoria shook her head, staring at the floor. "Okay...oh, hey, I...I wanted to tell you earlier, but I had to work late." Running over to his desk, Beck rifled through some papers. _Working late...now I'm lying to her, too. _"Found it." The dark-haired young man jogged back to his girlfriend, holding two tickets. "There's this...winter formal coming up...Jade's gonna be out of town for the weekend, and...I was wondering if you maybe wanna come with me? It's a masquerade ball."

"So, we'd be wearing masks?" Tori asked, seeing symbolism starting to surface. "Hiding from each other in plain sight..." Beck chuckled, showing his pure white teeth. "Are you sure about this?"

"Yeah," the boy answered, his voice turning sympathetic and calm. "It'll be okay...Jade didn't even want to go...I don't want our relationship to be a sin...you know?" Scanning the two yellow pieces of paper, Tori slowly took one from her lover's hand. "Thanks," she gave in, feeling the impact of her sin once again.

Taking the step up onto the stool, the man thrust the rope over a pipe and tied it tightly. Then, with one last step, it was all over. Police officers entered the cell to find a blood-drenched floor and a lifeless body hanging from the ceiling. Not long after, the Italian was found shot and killed in his home; no evidence was left behind. Newspaper articles raved; "Suspected gangster found dead." "Suicide in Arkham Asylum." "Falcone and Maroni Dead." Throwing down the paper, Tori rubbed her mouth with her palm, trying to hold in the sudden rush of emotions soaring through her body. "The Russian's gone," she whispered, putting the pieces together. "...The Russian killed Falcone's man and fled the country. That's the only way that makes sense"

"How can you be sure of that, Miss Victoria?" Alfred asked, looking over the papers.

"I'm not," Tori answered. "But right now, the Roman's men are all MIA, and the Russian dropped off the map. I can't find him. I fell into their plan, Alfred. Falcone wanted to get caught...Maybe he was the wrong man to follow."

"Maybe, Miss Victoria," Alfred began. "But the Batwoman has succeeded in nearly wiping out all organized crime in Los Angeles."

"There'll always be more," Victoria replied. "And the Venom's still being shipped out. Everyone I questioned had no idea who they were even working for...Maybe there's something else...someone else. Maybe this was all part of someone's sick game. The Batwoman lost..."

Standing atop a massive sky scraper, the Batwoman glared down at the city, letting frozen rain pound on her cape and claw at her face. The Bat-Wave was silent; her heart was pounding. Los Angeles was silent, but raging with something ugly deep inside. "What are you?" Tori whispered, lowering her head to the busy streets and closing her eyes. Watching from a distance, a red-cloaked figure felt his mission come to a successful close.

Suddenly, piercing the silence, the Bat-Wave awakened. Clenching her eyes, Batwoman dove down upon the city. Landing in a drenched, nearly frozen alley, Tori shrouded her body in the darkness of her cape. "Miss me?" asked a masculine being topped with a red, metal, oval-shaped helmet covering his face and all its features. Lightning flashed along the horizon, tarnishing hope within itself.

Clenching her fists, Batwoman felt her pulse spike. _To give in to your anger and become its master. _Charging forward, Tori felt the rain splatter around her feet. Racing towards his opponent, willing to give everything, Red Hood pulled a knife from his pocket. Turning her arm to reveal the blades, Batwoman blocked the lance, and thrust herself against the red figure, knocking him back. Pulling a smoke bomb from his sleeve, Red Hood swallowed his fear, and raised his hand. "No!" Batwoman screamed, knocking the orb out of his hand, covering the entire alley in a fog. Fists collided, blood splattered, knives and blades slashed flesh, and, once the smoke cleared, only Tori remained; just as she wanted. _He's changed...He's lost everything...He wasn't trying to win this time..._ With a bolt of lightning, Tori saw the Red Hood standing before her. Removing his mask, the dark figure was none other than Tori Vega; her face scratched and bleeding and her eyes blurred over with tears. Then, she was gone, and the Batwoman was alone. _I have to find him._

"You look beautiful," Beck declared, his black tuxedo and black opera mask standing out in Tori's eyes.

"And you would be my prince," the brunette responded, her purple gown and black domino mask glistening under the light of chandelears. Putting out her hand, Tori let Beck kiss it, and lead her into a dance.

Twirling, cascading, dipping, fading into one another, Beck and Tori made their love known among the music that consumed all. Their bodies flowing and soaring with passion, the two felt themselves disappear; lost forever in a single moment of bliss. Her dress blowing along with her body, Tori felt her heart start to beat alittle faster. Beck, taking his lover into his arms, felt his breath become light. The dance was all; the dance was bigger than either of them. Forbidden fruit was being feasted upon. Pressing her breast to Beck's chest, Victoria experienced the harmony of their heart beats. _Face to face...my lovely foe. Mouth to mouth; raining heavens blow. _

_Stand apart; tick-tack-toe _

_Under the stars. _

_Naked as we flow_

"I love you," Beck whispered. Tori's breath grew heavy and her body weak. As the two committed the ultimate crime, the young woman stopped dead in her tracks, and faced her lover; her hated, despised, beloved, treasured love. Their eyes glistened in one another's sight; locked on like an arrow to its eternal mark. Seduced, the two felt nothing but the other's soul flowing through them. Each had their secret to keep, and each had their scar to bear. "I love you, too," Tori whispered in Beck's ear. Then, in that instant, the entire room froze over, leaving only the two forbidden lovers and their game to be played to the death.

_And you'll never know._

_One more kiss...before we die_

_Face to face_

_and dream of flying._

_Who are you?_

_Who am I?_

_Wind and Rain;_

_Two angels falling_

_To die like this;_

_With one last kiss._

In that instant, Jade died. Taking Tori's hands yet again, the young man pressed his head into her shoulder, and she placed her hands around his waist. Solace, laced with the sweet poison of a dark desire flowed through their veins. The dance was death, but death was now life. As the two stepped side to side, the images became clear once again;

"Miss Victoria, what is the matter?" Alfred begged, taking his hysteric charge into his warm arms.

Crying and screaming, her eyes blinded by tears, Victoria opened her mouth only to reveal streams of her saliva choking her. "I can't tell you," she gasped out.

Beck sat down alone in his r.v., and let burning tears rain down onto the floor for an hour; his heart collapsing again and again and again until he was all but numb to the ever-flowing pain.

Now, the two stood together; the fears and darkness gone, if only for a moment in time, where time had stopped. Listening to her lover's breath, Tori felt something fall out of place in her heart. Swallowed by great agony, the girl gasped briefly, opening her eyes and mouth wide in a prayer of terror. _He's not trying to win, _she told herself. Pulling apart, the two gazed at one another.

"I'm so sorry," Beck confessed, his voice cracking and trembling. "I have to go...now." With that, the boy ran away. Removing her mask and dropping it to the ground, Tori fell to her knees, covering her mouth. The gun fired, and her parents bathed in their own blood before her and Trina. Beck and Tori held the gun together, and took the shot. Blood and rain fell that night.

"...I've been wrong all along," Tori whispered, her heart now completely shattered inside of her body. "Please, no." The girl now knew what true pain was. What love really was, deep below the deception of other people's blissful lies. What it meant to die. Rain poured down as Victoria stood still, staring into the abyss of night: The abyss that once held promise and purpose now devoured everything in sight. _I have to find him._ The Red Hood, naked except for his horrid red helmet existed in every single rain drop that fell that night. "Beck," Tori whispered, dropping her head.


	26. Repose

Batwoman: Victorious

Chapter Twenty Five: Repose

_You've been their slave for so long; Red Hood's slave for even longer. It's all a sick joke...I thought I was in control, but I was wrong from the start..._

"Red Hood's everything we ever dreamed of," a thug mumbled out as Batwoman clenched his collar. "He'll do whatever we need him to...no matter the cost." Furious, Tori thew the man onto the ground. _I have no idea what he's planning, but now I know who he's working for._

"Ace Chemicals has been developing an alternative to anesthesia for years," a brown-haired man in a white lab coat explained, setting a phial of liquid into its holder. "Now, we're closer than ever to completing it."

"That's amazing," Beck replied, staring at the potential miracle drug. _Not that I didn't know already..._ "Any risks?"

"Not if we've constructed it as it was intended," the scientist answered.

_You know your orders, _Beck ran over in his mind, gazing at the phial before him. _I can't...but they know who I am; who my friends are...I don't have a choice anymore; my life isn't mine anymore. _"Are they going to store it here?" the young man forced himself to ask.

"Yes, but only until we've secured a place for it at our corporate headquarters," the brunette man answered. Acting without hesitation, the scientist took the chemical shelf and departed from the room with it in hand. Staring at the man, Beck felt a massive bulge forming in his throat.

As the full moon fell under the darkness of black clouds, the young man leaned against a wall, his lab coat sheltering him from the cold. "Why do you need the gas?" he asked into his phone.

"Classified, kid," a near-elderly man answered on the other end. "Just get it to us, and you're home free for now. Do whatever it takes." _It's your soul lost..._ Feeling his heart sink, Beck planted his foot on the ground, digging his other into the wall behind him. "Fine," he nearly snarled. "But after this, we're done."

"We'll never be done, junior," the man happily replied. "You belong to us now...Say, how's Jade doing? Or should I ask about Tori? I bet they'd love to get to know us. You know, if you change your mind about our friendship." His blood boiling within his veins, Beck snapped his phone shut, and threw it off the side of the building. Breathing heavily, the young man felt his heart beat rapidly, nearly tearing out of his chest. Cold sweat trickling down his face, the boy felt his head begin to throb; his mind slowly cracking.

"Miss Victoria," Hugo Strange said, looking over his notes and his patient's body language; her eyes were nearly closed, her arms tightly crossed over her chest, and her legs crossed over one another. "Everything about your appearance suggests depression. I haven't seen this in you for some time. What caused you to relapse?"

"I made a mistake," Tori coldly answered. "One I swore I wouldn't make again...but I failed myself."

"May I ask who you made this swear to?" the doctor asked, his glasses refracting the view of his eyes.

"Myself," Victoria answered, anger looming within her entire body.

Clenching the black, armored Batsuit in her hands, glaring down at the eyes of the creature she had become, Tori let her pulse spike. "I can't forgive myself, Alfred," she snarled. "I told myself I'd never trust again...and now..."

"Do not blame yourself, Miss Victoria," the Englishman snapped back at his charge. "You made on mistake by placing your trust in another human being. You cannot make everything your own fault."

"But it was!" Tori screamed, throwing the suit against the wall. Silence filled the room. "...Alfred...I'm sorry. I-I didn't listen to you...Beck and I...I let us become something wrong; something more than friends...even while Jade lays dying at her house. I'm sorry." Collapsing into her beloved friend's chest, the brunette let the hot tears fall from her eyes as she silently sobbed. "I'm the monster...I've ruined everything...I'm so sorry." Feeling his daughter figure's pain, Alfred wrapped his arms around her back. She sought solace; sought someone to place her trust in, just as she had with Vince...with her parents.

Holding out her hand, Tori let the blood of her mother and father pour through her fingers. Trina cried into her sleeve, unable to witness the dead bodies of those she loved. Then, in a bolt of lightning, the Batwoman stood alone in the horrid alley, her white eyes glaring at nothingness. Still, the blood poured down.

Her knees aching as she knelt in the pew, Victoria clenched her left hand with her right, staring down at the floor. _I'm sorry...I told myself you didn't exist...But I think you're the only one who can forgive me... _The loving, forgiving eyes of the crucifix stared back at the young woman, the dim lights of the church shining down on the entire area. "I'm sorry," Tori silently sobbed, her cracking voice just above a whisper. _Beck's out there...the Red Hood's killing himself, and I can't even face myself...I can't face him. I could've helped him...but I failed him. With everything I've learned...I still can't save the ones I love. Maybe people like me aren't capable of love...maybe it only exists for others. _Lightning flashed outside, illuminating the church for a moment. "...But there has to be something I can do," Tori whispered, her folded hands resting atop the pew in front of her. "I can stop him..." In the dark corner of the building, two white eyes stared back at the young woman. "Maybe not as Batwoman...but what else am I?"

Laying down beside her on the couch, Beck slowly stroked Jade's long hair. Her face was pail, her eyes bloodshot. Every sleeping breath she took was heavy. Allowing the burning tears to well up in his eyes, the young man stared at his beloved. "I'm so sorry," he whispered. "For everything." Loading a handgun, Beck placed the weapon in his pocket, gave his girlfriend a parting kiss, and walked out into the darkness.

From the top of the staircase, Eva watched the nightmare play out before her young eyes. Jade lay in place, having no idea what was going on around her. Tears formed in the child's eyes, streaming down her soft, reddened cheeks.

_Tonight's the night I lose my soul..._Dawning the red helmet, Beck took several novelty toys, placing them into his pockets, next to the gun. Images flashed through the young man's mind; his feeling of salvation when he got the call from Ace Chemicals, the freedom of throwing away the mask, kissing Jade, talking to Tori, and standing amongst Cat, Jade, Tori, Andre', and Robbie at Hollywood Arts High. Feeling his eye start to burn, Beck put the happier times out of his mind, and walked out into the pouring rain.

Listening to the electronic beeps, Tori prayed for Beck to answer his phone. However, he never did. Clenching her fist, the young woman looked at her sister. "Trina," she said, trying to keep her voice from breaking.

"What's up?" the older of the Vega girls replied, turning to her sister.

"I...just wanted to tell you...Just that I love you," Tori declared, feeling a small part of her heart growing warmer.

"Love you, too, baby sis," Trina happily replied. Tori smiled, then turned her attention back to her phone. Suddenly, the young woman felt a pulse flowing in her other pocket. Her heart beat turning into a vicious pounding, Victoria left the room, locked herself in her bedroom, and read the data on the Bat-Wave. "God, no," she gasped out. _Ace Chemicals; Armed Robbery._

Walking down the sidewalk, Red Hood scanned every man, woman, and child that passed him by. One by one, they all froze in horror. Resting atop a gargoyle, Batwoman felt lightning flash behind her as she scanned the city through the pouring rain. Her cape blowing violently behind her, Tori recalled her training with Ray, Sonya, and Ra's, her first day at Hollywood Arts, her first date with Vince, his parting from her, her first kiss with Beck, the friendship she'd forged with Jade after so long, and the time she stood aside Cat, Andre', Beck and Jade, Robbie, and Trina in the hallway. Everything was about to change; there was no escape from this: there was no going back.

Making his way up the stairs to Ace Chemicals, Beck felt his superiors breathing through him. On his way up, two scientists were guarding the door. "We can't allow you on the premises," one of the men boldly declared. Red Hood looked up, not muttering a word, and pulled out the gun. In a flash of light, the two fell; their blood coating the windows behind them. Thrusting a grapple into the air, Batwoman descended on Los Angeles, then extended her wings, entering a violent glide through the darkness. _I have to stop him...it's the only hope either of us have, _she told herself as the icy wind viciously bit at her face.

Landing at Ace, the Batwoman observed the two dead bodies. "...No," she begged to herself, realizing how far her friend had fallen. Charging inside, Tori tore through room after room. "Hood!" she cried out, rage and fear dominating her voice. Hearing the voice of his enemy, or maybe the voice of a friend, Beck quickly removed the phial of laughing gas, then turned to his fellow scientists. "Thanks for the hint," he said, disguising his voice. "They don't let newbies know where they keep the goods." The dead bodies didn't respond.

Suddenly, Batwoman smashed through the door, standing face to face with the Red Hood. "It's over," she said. "Give up and we can settle this." Her vocal disguise was fading.

"I don't think so," the Hood replied, throwing down a phial and coating the air in smoke. Charging through the smog, Batwoman followed Beck onto a platform above several tanks of acidic chemicals.

"Stop this!" Tori called out, though Red Hood didn't stop. "Beck!" Suddenly, the young man haulted, and turned around.

"H-how do you know my name?" Beck stuttered, his hand fumbling around for the gun. Stepping closer, Tori grabbed the bottom of her cowl; ready to surrender. Her heart rate sped up as she relaxed, and prepared for the ultimate confession. "Stop! Don't get any closer!" Stepping back, the boy collided with a metal bar, knocking it loose and breaking the railing.

"Beck, no! Stop! It's me, T-" Batwoman cried out, desperate to stop her friend. Terrified, Beck took a step back, and fell from the platform. Lunging forward, Tori outstreched her arm, missing Red Hood's by seconds. Screaming in terror, the boy plummeted downward, his hand raised upward for a friend to take it. "No!" Tori screamed, clenching the edge of the railing. Then, Beck's body collided, and was consumed by the acid. His agonized screams tore through the air as a white-bleached hand splashed out of the liquid. Closing her eyes, Batwoman listened as police sirens sounded outside.

"Batwoman!" one of the officers screamed. "She threw that kid into the acid!" Outstretching her wings, Tori dove down, and glided over the police and into the night, praying that the paramedics would be able to rescue her friend as soon as possible. _The acid won't kill him, but it's the effects that terrify me. Please, let him be okay. _Screams and gunfire sounded in the night's sky as the Batwoman escaped the nightmarish scene.

"I failed, Alfred," Tori confessed. "Beck's in the hospital, the police have evidence that Batwoman's a criminal. I just...I failed." Arriving at the hospital, Tori welcomed a crying Cat into her arms, and sat down next to Andre'. Out of all the teens, Cat took Beck's accident the hardest...except, of course, for Jade. Shuttering, Tori let Cat's tears overpower her own.

"Beck, please!" Jade cried as the doctors forced her out of the room. Her throat agonized with tears, the girl tried to fight back. "Beck, please! Why won't you see me?"

As time went by, Cat fell asleep in the chairs, her swollen, puffy eyes sealed with tears. Tori sat down next to Andre', and looked into his saddened eyes. "Can I cry on your shoulder?" she asked, her voice broken and vulnerable.

"Okay," Andre's cracking voice managed to whisper. The young man took Victoria into his arms, and held her face in his shoulder.

Laying back in his bed, his face bound with bandages and gaws, Beck rolled onto his side, spotting a female nurse. "The mirror," he begged. "Give me the mirror..." The woman tried to fight the request. "The mirror!" Handing Beck the mirror, the woman watched as he undid his bandages one by one. Then, he gazed at his white-bleached reflection. From the silence of the horror of the scene, Beck began to laugh. Slowly, with each moment passing by, the young man's sanity broke; the murders he'd comitted, the friend's he'd pushed away, the crimes he'd suffered through. As his laughter grew louder, a smile froze on the boy's face, and he smashed the mirror on the corner of the bed. Crying, Tori drowned herself in Andre's comfort, desperate to find solace. Alfred dropped his head, holding Trina's shoulder.


	27. Promise

Although we were left with an unhappy ending, I assure you, better times are coming for all of us. Don't lose hope. The characters will never fade away from us. Batwoman will live on.


	28. The Last Laugh

_Season Two_

Batwoman: Victorious

Chapter Twenty-Six: The Last Laugh

_The air is so cold...The wind claws at my face as I face the world. So, I hide from it all; rely on someone else to take my pain away. Sitting on my couch, I bury my face into my lover's shoulder, knowing he can take it; all my pain, lies, and punishment. "Thank you, Andre'," I manage to choke out. He doesn't speak, and continues to stroke my hair; keeping strong, even though it kills him inside. Cat was coming over in a couple of hours: I have to be strong for her. I can be strong for her. Jade, though...I haven't heard from her. She won't return my phone calls, and I'm terrified._

Sitting alone in her bedroom, Jade slowly stroked down the fur on her black kitten's back. Her eyes were glazed over with old tears, the young woman glanced over at her phone. _Why won't you talk to me? _she asked herself, remembering the last time she saw Beck. What changed? _I don't need him...but I want him in my life. He was one of my only friends._ Suddenly, the young woman's phone began to ring. Lifting up her cell, Jade looked at the number; Tori Vega. Pressing the speaker button, the Gothic young woman set down her phone, and cleared her throat. "Hello," she said, forcing her voice not to crack.

"Hey, Jade," Tori replied. "Andre' and I just wanted to say hi and ask if you were doing okay."

"Yeah," Jade shamelessly lied, wiping her eyes. "How about you two?"

"We're fine," Andre' answered, keeping his voice at its usual, controlled tone. "You heard from Beck yet?"

"No," the young woman answered. "He won't call me."

"I'm sorry," Tori said, her voice laced with its own sorrow. "It means alot that you picked up, though. You wanna come over?"

"No, thanks," Jade replied, staring into the void. "I just...I can't make it. Sorry."

"Okay," Tori gave in. "Maybe some other time."

"Sure," the dark-haired young woman choked out. "Bye." Hanging up her phone, Jade covered her eyes with her hand, and remembered a better world; one where her and Beck were together, and Tori, Beck, Cat, Andre', and Robbie were all friends with her and with one another; all the times she imagined a bright future now seemed to be a waste. The best days were behind her now: behind all of them.

Cat arrived at Vega family house at about seven, giving her time to get caught up with Andre' before he had to visit his grandmother. As always, the dark-haired girl gave her friends a big hug; not like she used to, though: The tighter, scared hugs she turned to after Beck's hospitalization. Tori knew. Holding Cat with all her might, the brunette girl whispered a promise to her friend.

"Have you heard from him at all?" Catarina asked, her voice sweet and concerned.

"Sorry, Kitten," Tori whispered, unable to look her friend in the face. Biting her lip, the girl fought the urge to start crying; she had to be strong now. "Cat..." the brunette forced out, feeling a crushing depression start to overpower her body. "It's okay to cry." Closing her eyes, the dark-haired girl lay her head on Tori's shoulder, and broke down in tears. "It's okay..." Victoria whispered, gently stroking her friend's back.

Rain poured down on Los Angeles, drenching its hopes and dreams in an icy sea of the darkened reality so many now endured. Actions seemed slowed; thoughts delayed. Sitting alone in her room, gazing at her fireplace, Tori blocked her mouth with her closed hand. Her eyes glazed over with a weighted sense of time, the young woman felt her body slowly frost over as she remained still.

"Am I to assume the Batwoman will not choose to return tonight?" Alfred asked, dusting off a counter. Shaking her head, the young woman bit her lip, refusing to look away from the flames.

"She's not coming back, Alfred," Tori whispered, her voice cracking. "...I failed. I failed everyone."

"Miss Victoria..." the Englishman began, prepared to do that which he swore dreamed of doing.

"No, Alfred," Victoria interrupted, her tone sharp. "Not this time...I'm done. Beck's in the hospital, Cat's afraid of the world, Jade hasn't left her house, and...I'm making Andre' miserable...I can tell. I can't stop, though." Alfred looked at his charge, knowing he was powerless. "I'm not cut out to protect anyone...I can't even help myself."

"Everyone is taking master Oliver's damages to heart, Miss Victoria," the Englishman cut in. "You mustn't blame yourself."

"Then who do I blame?" Victoria demanded, shooting up out of her chair. "If I hadn't been there, he wouldn't have fallen...and now everything's gone to hell."

"You stopped him before he killed more people," Alfred shot back. "The Batwoman is the protector of the innocent; you did what you had to."

"It's not enough!" the brunette screamed, sending the entire room into silence. "_I _wasn't enough!"

"Hey," a quiet voice greeted as the door slowly slide open. Trina walked into the room, her movements timid. "What's going on?"

"Nothing," Tori answered, her words sharp.

"Tori," Katrina replied, walking closer to her little sister. "You're upset. Please, talk to me about this."

"This is where I take my leave," Alfred declared, praying Trina would succeed where he failed. The butler departed from the room, gently shutting the door behind him.

"I don't wanna talk about it," the younger of the Vega siblings said, sitting down on her bed.

"I think you do," Katrina replied, her voice gentle. "But you're scared...Tori, please. I'm your sister. You can tell me anything." Swallowing a massive lump in her throat, Tori turned to her sister, and gestured for her to sit down next to her. Katrina took a seat next to her baby sister.

_I wish I could believe that, _the brunette thought, letting the tears stream down her face. "...I was dating Beck behind Jade's back," she began, all pride having left her voice. "And I can't ever tell her..." Trina put her hand on her sister's, giving her the sign of forgiveness and understanding she needed.

"...But I can never be the Batwoman again," Tori confessed to the darkness, dropping the Batsuit to the floor. Clenching the doorway, Alfred gazed sadly at his charge, knowing this was not how things were meant to be. "I can't dawn the cowl...I'm sorry, Mom...Dad." Closing her eyes, the young woman let the tears stream down her cheeks. The Bat-Wave began to sound, only to fall on the ground as Tori walked away from it all.

Jade stared at the wall, trying to figure out how things went wrong. Refusing to play the roll of the victim, the young woman soon found herself thinking of Beck as the weak one; the one dying from the inside out. What caused it all, though? What shattered the friendship? Was a fall into the vat really enough to destroy him? Watching from a crack in the doorway, Eva looked in shock at her sister; she'd never been so broken up. Was an incident with Beck really enough to destroy the group's friendship? "I thought I knew him," Jade said, possibly speaking only to the darkness. "I thought we all had something...but that anger in his voice...the fear I sensed in him...that wasn't Beck. If he could fall like that...what's keeping the rest of us from breaking? I swore I'd be there for him if he ever had another panic attack...I guess I was wrong."

"Don't blame yourself, Jade," Eva begged of her big sister, pushing the door open. Giving her sister a hug, the youngest West girl felt herself starting to sob, though she kept it hidden from Jade.

"That's just it, Eva," Jade nearly whispered. "...I don't."

"Miss Victoria, you said it yourself, the city needs Batwoman," Alfred pleaded with his charge. "You said you would stop when they no longer needed you."

"And they don't," Tori answered. "They don't need whatever thing did that to Beck. I was wrong."

"You did nothing," the Englishman fought back. "You tried to save him. He did this to himself."

"But I could have done more," the young woman argued, her voice displaying her self-hatred and doubt. "I could have stopped him if only I'd figured it out faster. He was the Hood all along, and I didn't even realize it."

"None of us knew, Miss Victoria," Alfred insisted. "Not even the Batwoman could have learned his secret as it began. What matters is that you _did_ discover the truth, and tried to make everything right."

"But trying wasn't enough," Tori began. "If I had just..."

"There is no way to change the past," Alfred demanded. "Of all people, you should know that. All we can do is fight for a brighter future. You taught me that. Now, the Batwoman can either choose to remain in a ransid bath of her own self-pity, or she can go out and attempt to save the innocent once again. What shall it be, Miss Victoria?"

Her face scarred with shock, Tori looked down at the cowl, and it stared back. "Thank you, Alfred," she whispered. "You remind me so much of them..." Suddenly, the electronic ringing of her cell phone broke the young woman's concentration. "It's Cat," Tori declared, answering the phone. "Hey..."

"He's gone!" Cat shrieked into the phone. Her eyes shooting wide open, the brunette looked away from the shadows, and felt the darkness calling to her again.

Her cape gliding through the freezing air of the night, Batwoman listened to the hum of the Bat-Wave as she descended upon Los Angeles once again. _If Beck's out on the streets, there's no telling what he'll do to himself..._Tori had told Alfred. _What if he only remembers the Hood? _the young woman asked herself, tightening her white eyes. Beck's hospital room was empty, except for a single playing card; a joker.


	29. Broken Smile

Batwoman: Victorious

Chapter Twenty-Seven: Broken Smile

Descending onto the ground, draped in her black wings, Batwoman glared at the city around her, searching for any sign of Beck's presence. Walking down the empty, polluted street, feeling the near-freezing winter winds stab at her body, Tori quietly inspected her surroundings. _Nothing, _she told herself, tightening her eyes. Finally, the Batwoman found something against a dumpster. "...My god," she whispered, horrified at the sight; Robbie and Rex, lying still, their skin pale, their eyes wide, and their faces scarred with an unnatural smile (Rex's face seemingly cut with a knife). Crouching down on her knees, Tori shook Robbie's shoulder, trying in vein to snap him out of his trance. Nothing. Wrapping her arms around her old friend, Batwoman launched a grapple into the air, listened for the sound of a collision, then let the machine pull her and Robbie upward, the force causing him to drop Rex.

Carefully dropping down in front of a hospital, Tori gently handed her friend over to a male nurse. "This boy needs medical attention, now," she ordered, her smokey voice grave and commanding. "He appears to be in a comatose state, but his pulse is waning."

"We'll take care of him," the nurse replied, trying to stop himself from trembling. Launching her grapple gun, Batwoman took one final look at the stilled creature she once knew as her friend, then flew off into the night. Landing atop a massive building illuminated with hundreds of room lights, Tori settled herself on the edge of the roof. "Alfred," she spoke into her earpiece. "Robbie's been poisoned by some sort of nerve gas. I have a sample of his blood. I'll analyze it once I get home."

"He escaped from Arkham?" the Englishman asked, his tone uneasy.

"It looks that way," Batwoman answered. "I found him with the dummy against a dumpster. Looks like they were stopped on their way somewhere. I need to get some answers from Amadeus...but that can wait. I'll meet you in my room in about ten minutes." Looking upward into the dark horizon, Victoria remembered Robbie's pale face, his crooked smile. _Please, no,_ she begged to herself, trying to forget the scars Beck received after the accident.

"The blood contains a trace of the same substance Ace Chemicals was developing," Tori declared, observing the blood through a microscope. In that instant, all hope was lost.

"Does that mean master Oliver is responsible?" Alfred asked, trying to remain rational.

"Or someone trying to frame him," the brunette answered, not looking up from the scope. _Why am I fighting this? I know the answer._

"Miss Victoria," the Englishman said, turning to his charge. "Beck isn't the same man you knew...I know it is hard to accept, but it's very likely he has taken the same route as Sinjin and Robbie."

"You're wrong!" Tori caught herself hollering as she glared into her butler's eyes. The room filled with silence. Taking in several deep breaths, the young woman turned back to the blood sample. "I'm sorry, Alfred...I just...I have to figure this out."

"I understand, Miss Victoria," the Englishman replied, hiding the pain in his voice. "But please, do not allow your emotions to cloud your judgement."

"What emotions?" Tori gravely replied, dawning her cowl. "...The antidote for the gas won't be ready for a couple of hours. I drugged Robbie before we made it to the hospital; he should stay unconscious until the toxin runs its course."

"Shall I take the liberty of comparing this gas to the Scarecrow's?" Alfred asked. Batwoman nodded her head.

"When the cure is ready, Arkham gets the first sample," Tori declared, opening the window and gazing out at the city. "Whoever did this won't get a second chance." Leaping from her bedroom window, the Batwoman spread her cape and glided towards the city.

Stars shined over Los Angeles as the dark figure flew among its skyscrapers. Listening for the Bat-Wave, Tori found herself drifting away; The first time she and Beck kissed, the secrets they shared, the smell of his body when they held one another. Then, she saw him falling into the acid; saw the corpses he left behind; saw the Red Hood. Suddenly, the pulse of the Bat-Wave sounded, and Tori found her target; standing atop a skyscraper, his face obscured in the darkness. Aiming herself at the mysterious figure, Tori heard the sound of a clock ticking, and witnessed an explosion, knocking her backwards. Quickly finding her bearings, the teenager spread her wings, breaking her fall as she glided back onto a smaller building. Looking at the source of the blast, the young woman saw the image of what seemed to be a large, crooked smile burning into the side of the skyscraper. Laughter then filled the night. "Surprise!" called out an all-too familiar voice.

"No," Tori whispered, clenching her black fists. The illusion was over; the past shattered. It was Beck; his skin pale, his long hair forever stained green, and his once-pure smile now a maniacal, twisted smile emblazon on his face, the young man gazed down at the Batwoman. "Stop this!" the Batwoman screamed. "You don't have to be this!"

"Why hide who I really am?" the clown-like boy called back. Looking up to the sky, Beck began cackling like the madman he had become. "Like the redecorating? It's amazing what some chemicals and a match can do. But it doesn't stop there. I've been putting smiles on everyone's faces I come across." Beck laughed a demented laugh, then looked to see a ball roll in front of him, then explode into a thick cloud of smoke.

"You've been assaulting innocent people," Batwoman snarled, grabbing Beck's arms and restricting him. "I've read your files; that boy was your friend."

"I'll move on," the clown mocked. "I still have you; The one who created me." Tori felt a knife jabbing into her heart; the inescapeable truth was staring her in the eye.

"Everything that happened you brought on yourself," the Batwoman growled, her teeth clenched. Inside, Victoria felt her weaker side crying. "The nerve gas you use was stolen from Ace Chemicals..."

"I call it laughing gas," Beck giggled. "It's a joker's venom." Thrusting his knee into his opponent's stomach, Beck tore his hands free. "See you later, Bats!" Sprinting after her former friend, Batwoman lunged off the building, grabbing the clown's back. "Oh, you wanna play a game?" Thrusting her weight to the side, Tori closed her eyes as she and Beck smashed into a glass greenhouse atop a city rooftop.

Pulling herself up, Tori looked down at Beck; his pale face stained with blood. _What am I doing? Trying to bury my mistake? Trying to forget how I failed him? _the young woman asked herself, only to be interrupted by the menacing laughter of the joker. "Say cheese, lovely." Beck pulled out a toy camera, and flashed a picture, temporarily blinding the Batwoman with its violent strobe light. _Sight beyond seeing..._ Listening to the sound of footsteps making their way across the rooftop, Tori hurled a batarang at Beck, striking him in the knee and knocking him down. Leaping forward, Batwoman tackled the clown, forcing his arms to the ground. Still laughing, Beck glanced towards the city. "You remember that thing I said about chemicals and matches?" Suddenly, fire exploded from the surrounding buildings, sending millions of glass shards down on the city. Her jaw dropped in horror, Victoria heard the screams of innocent civilians tear through the night's sky.

"No," Batwoman whispered.

"I'm back!" Beck happily cried out. "And better than ever! Do I know how to top myself or what?" Clenching her teeth and glaring down at the monster that was once her lover, the Batwoman felt her heart pounding with passionate fury. "Isn't this appropriate? A baptism of fire to celebrate our new lives together; the mad clown and the crazy bat that created him...you know, I think we created each other."

"Shut up," Tori ordered, forcing her tears back, despite the agony.

"As long as there's good people in the world, there'll be evil to come stop it," Beck happily declared. "And as long as evil exists, heroes like you will come to stop them. It's beautiful, isn't it?" Clenching her fist, Batwoman thrust her knuckles into the clown's face over and over again; he laughed. "The world doesn't want you...and it rejected me. We're all we've got."

"You don't understand, do you?" Victoria answered.

Beck smiled a satisfied smile, then lay his head down. "You'd better act fast if you wanna save any of those people," he said. "I think mister and misses Dawn just had their baby." Her eyes wide with rage, the Batwoman threw the joker down, then charged towards the burning building. "The old Beck is dead, Batsy! Now I'm just a joker. Ha ha!"

"Fine!" Tori cried out, exposed to herself. "Then I'll just stay in love with who you were!" No one heard; no one would ever hear. Gliding into the fires, Batwoman began her attempt to save the innocent ones inside.

"In other news, the Batwoman was spotted, allegedly rescuing civilians from a chemical fire spanning several apartment complexes," a female reported announced. "Unfortunately, there were ten casualties that night, and the individual responsible has yet to be caught or even seen by the authorities. On a related note; Batwoman, vigilante or local hero?" Shutting off the television, Tori buried her face in her hands, letting the tears stream down her cheeks. _I failed, _she pounded into her head. Suddenly, the young woman felt a hand touch her shoulder. Looking up, Tori saw Trina and Alfred standing by her. Letting a smile form on her face, the young woman stood up and hugged her family.

"His condition has improved," a young male doctor declared. "Visitors are welcome." Cat walked into Robbie's room, followed by Tori, Andre', and Trina. Two security guards entered behind the group, following protocol. Having called ahead of time, Jade's apologies for her absense were noted and accepted.

Looking down at the scene, Amadeus held a bottle given to him by the Batwoman. Outside the window, a red cape fluttered in the wind. Eyes tightened on the scene as darkness set upon the city.


	30. Loss

Batwoman: Victorious

Chapter Twenty-Eight: Loss

January 20th, 2012: The body lay still and silent among the snow. Her face hidden from the world, ice began to form in the young woman's hair. Several gray and black alley cats licked at the lifeless body in the darkness of the night. The sound of screams tore through the silence, and the felines charged off into the night. Charging into the dark alley, the woman and her daughter turned the corpse over onto its back, and gazed at the pale, still face of the one they loved. Burying her tear-stained face in her hands, Eva refused to gaze at her beautiful sister like this.

"Jade West was found dead just outside her house last night," a local reporter declared. "Authorities have reason to believe her fall was intentional. Hollywood Arts, the school young Jade used to attend, before her medical issues forced her to remain homebound, has been shut down until after the date of her funeral service."

Cat let the tears fall behind her dark veil as she held her single red rose. Tori put her hand on her friend's shoulder, sharing so deeply in her pain. Her blue rose had been chosen to reflect the dark but pure young woman she came to know and befriend over the years. Andre' stood behind the brunette, whispering his sorrow into her ear, and holding a white rose in his chilled hands. Trina followed the group, unable to speak or fully accept the situation. Eva and Ms. West knelt down before the coffin, letting the snow kiss their bowed heads as they prayed for their beloved Jadeyn's soul. Katrina found herself unable to look away from the cold, lifeless body before her. Having paid his respects, Doctor Fries sat alone, letting the coldness become him; he had failed.

"Why would she kill herself?" Cat sobbed, wiping her eyes.

"I don't know, Kitten," Victoria answered, her voice weak and cracking. The brunette extended her hand and wiped a tear from her friend's eye.

Andre' remained close to his lover. "I'm so sorry," he said. "I mean, I could've...Beck and I were..."

"Andre'," Tori whispered, sounding almost shocked. "There was nothing you could have done. There was nothing any of us could've done." Snow continued to fall from the heavens, clouding over the entire scene. After expressing their condolences to the West family, Tori, Cat, Trina, and Andre' departed for home with Alfred after the Englishman set a rose of his own on the coffin. With Robbie still in the hospital, the group found how few they were, and how fragile their lives had grown. Jade's voice still rang in Cat's ears; their friendship still living on, even through the pain.

Sitting alone in her room, Tori held a framed picture of her and Jade; a joke present from Hollywood Art's Christmas party. Staring at the frozen image of Jade's face, gazing at the smile she used to wear, Victoria tightly shut her eyes, and smashed the image before screaming into her hands. Despite her cries, though, the entire world seemed silent. Her headphones blaring, Trina tried with all her might to drown out the memories and, worst of all, the fact that she couldn't mourn. Alfred kept himself busy with chores around the house, despite his charges' requests that he take the night off. Cat came over later that night with Andre'. Sitting in a circle, like they used to not so long ago, the teenagers recalled stories and laughs they shared with Jade, Beck, and their other friends. Cat held her hoodie close to her chest the entire time, acting like she wasn't upset anymore. Knowing this, Tori held her closer when she could.

_"I am so sorry for your loss," Tori said, struggling to keep her voice from cracking. "Jade was a good friend. I can't imagine how hard this must be for you two. I know she loved you both so much." Eva wrapped her arms around the brunette, desperate for the form of comfort her big sister used to give her. "It's okay, sweetie," Tori whispered, gently stroking the girl's hair._

"It'll be alright, Kitten," the brunette said. "I know you're sad, but Jade's in a better place now. She's still here with us."

"I know," Cat replied, wiping her eyes. "But...It just doesn't feel the same. She must have been so sad when she did it...why wouldn't she let us help her?" Deep down, the black-haired girl knew the answer, but it was just too painful to admit.

"I don't know," Tori answered, staring into nothingness. Trina sat on the couch, trying to come up with something to say.

_"I'm so sorry," Katrina said, holding Ms. West's hands. "I know this must be horrible to live through. If I know Jade...she didn't do this to hurt you." Ms. West nodded, mouthing a thank-you through her trembling lips._

Andre' covered his mouth, forcing back the tears and cries he so desperately wanted to let out. Tori looked over to her lover, and put her hand on his knee; if only to give him strength for a moment.

_"Jade was one of the most passionate singers I've ever met," Andre' told the West family. "She saw the beauty of the world. I'm so sorry for your loss." Smiling through her pain, Ms. West took the young man's hand, holding it tightly between hers._

_ "Jade was my best friend when we were growing up," Cat said, staring at the ground as she spoke to the West family. "She stood up for me...made me laugh...she was an angel. I'm really sorry."_

Standing on the ledge of a massive building, the Batwoman gazed down at the city. _I let her down, _she thought, seeing so much in the streets. _I let another person die right in front of me..._ Thomas and Martha let in their final breaths as the criminal pulled the trigger, and silenced them forever more. Glaring through her suit's white eyes, Victoria felt her heart pounding, acting out of misery and guilt. _I'm sorry, Jade, _she prayed in her mind, feeling burning tears start to form. Then, she thought of Cat; so afraid of everything. After what happened to Beck, she was terrified. Now..._Maybe I'm needed somewhere else...Maybe I can still make things right._ Turning her back on the city, Batwoman pressed her ear piece, and listened to Catarina pick up the phone. "Cat," she greeted, knowing her friend had just come home from visiting Robbie in the hospital. "Hey, I know it's late, but would you like to come over tonight?...Great. I'll ask Alfred to pick you up. I'll make some pop corn, and we can talk...okay. Love you, Kitten...bye." Hanging up, the young woman dialed Andre's number. "Hey, Andre', it's Tori...How you holding up?...I'm sorry. I'll come see you tomorrow. Yeah, we can write a song...just like we used to. Yeah. That sounds nice. Night. Love you." Suddenly, Ra's offer came into the young woman's mind. Shaking off the idea, Tori lept off the building, gliding into the city. _He's still somewhere in the city...just like Beck. _Tightening her eyes, the Batwoman closed out the rest of the world.

Eva sat on her couch; all alone. Jade's essence had left the house, leaving the little girl and her mother alone. Outside, the night was painted black; no stars shined upon the city, not that their light would make a difference. The wind was cruel and harsh as its icy veins dug into the world. "Eva," Ms. West called out. "There's some people here to see you." Throwing the blanket off her lap, the girl stood up, and saw Tori and Cat standing before her. "Hi," the girl said. Several cats walked around Eva's feet, nudging and rubbing against her legs.

"Hi, sweetie," Cat replied. Seeing the girl made the dark-haired girl feel a sense of comfort; something she'd thought lost after Beck's accident.

"Mind if we spend some time here?" Tori added, making Eva smile. Running over to the two, the little girl closed her eyes, and hugged her old friends. They felt so much like Jade when they wrapped their arms around her.


	31. Final

Batwoman: Victorious

Chapter Twenty-Nine: Final

_Everything feels like it happened within the flash of a second, even though the days were endless. We all lost so much. We all waged war on ourselves. I tried to make myself something better: I tried to take my war and turn it into a stand against crime and injustice. I saw horrible things: Monstrosities, failures, and living death…_

Holding each other's small, cold hand, Victoria and Katrina Vega stared, through the innocent and broken eyes of children, at the lifeless bodies that were once their parents. Blood flooded the cold, damp alley. Silence was all there was until the police arrived.

Enduring slash after slash with a hot, metal rod, Victoria fell to her knees, feeling an endless swarm of vicious bats wash over her body, their tiny claws and teeth scratching at her tender flesh, slowly forming cuts and gashes that poured out blood. Her eyes tightly shut in terror, the young woman suddenly looked up, bathed in the nightmarish essence of the creatures she feared, and saw something she'd never witnessed before.

Parting ways, Tori and Vince felt the icy wind course through them both. Closing herself into her room, the young woman witnessed the screeching hiss of a single bat flying towards the light of the moon and casting a shadow upon her. Engulfed in anger, sorrow, loss, and the stench of failure from her parents' death, Victoria found herself within the bat. Turning back towards the girl he once loved, Vince's calm, loving face slowly melted and froze over, forming the wicked, staunch skull-like visage of The Phantasm. As lightning struck the city of Los Angeles, Batwoman and The Phantasm, both stripped of their masks, thrust their fists at one another, the love they once shared shattered by Victoria's destiny and sense of justice and Vince's anger and vengeance. They had both lost the people they loved the most. They had both given up on love. Only one would walk away that night. Given no choice, Batwoman watched the tortured shell of the man she once loved fall to the streets below, her hand feeble when trying to reach out to him one last time. One last time.

Pressing her lips against Beck's, Victoria felt their hearts beak in sync. As they shared their breaths, they shared guilt over their hidden betrayal of Jade, who lay slowly dying, still believing in her love with Beck and her friendship with Tori. However, the red hood bled upon Beck's face, and he fell into a vat of acid, screaming the entire way down. From the burning liquid, the Joker arose, and the Batwoman grew darker.

Standing around Jade's coffin, Tori, Cat, Eva, Trina, Andre', and Alfred mourned as the cold rain poured down from the blackened skies. After all the others were gone, Beck, his white-bleached face, though locked into an unforgiveable smile, grew vulnerable. Tears streamed down his cheeks, feeling so much hotter than the drops of rain.

Holding onto Trina, Alfred, Cat, and Andre', Victoria sobbed violently, feeling them fade through her fingers. Rising up, Tori felt the shadows drape over her body, flowing down to create the cape and cowl of the Batwoman. Her bleeding heart illuminated, forming the scar of the bat across the young woman's chest. Through the darkness of terror, regret, and the shadows of Los Angeles, the Batwoman became one with Victoria as she stood in the pouring rain, facing down Killer Croc (a poor misfit and a friend named Sinjin), Robbie and Rex, Bane (once a humble introvert turned boxer and reduced to a hulking beast through the drugs that possessed him), and Scarecrow (a dedicated young scientist whose all-consuming lust for fear drove her into madness) with the Joker (friend, lover, suffering young man trying to cope with his girlfriend's illness, only to turn to crime and betray all that he ever had) in front of them all.

No longer able to call herself Andre's lover for the purpose of finding her own solace, Victoria apologized and let their friendship fade away. Still, she visited Jade's grave, praying for forgiveness.

The dark skies over the city of Los Angeles cascaded with lightning as Cat thrust her fists into the door of her house, fearing the monster rampaging through the streets. "Mommy!" she cried out, her eyes burning with tears. "Mommy! Please!"

Suddenly, the roar of a large engine sounded louder than the thunder, causing the dark-haired young woman to look back. Its sleek, stainless black surface reflecting the storm, a massive vehicle opened, its top sliding forward to reveal the Batwoman. "You're safe now," she declared, her gruff voice gentle and calm. Stretching out her hand, Victoria accepted the risk of her friend joining her battle, knowing Cat would only follow her heart. Hesitant, the short-haired girl remembered the goodness she saw in the masked vigilante, and took her hand.

Throwing out her black cape behind her, Batwoman stood alongside her sister, who had taken the mantle of Batgirl as well as Cat, whose renewed, flowing red locks displayed her inner strength as she became Robin, and Alfred remained the staunch protector of the extended family from behind the wall of the Bat-Cave underneath the Vega family mansion. The heroic figures swore to forever defend the innocent and the helpless: always fighting on the side of justice.

His twisted smile burning upon his face, the Joker pulled the trigger of his pistol and watched Batgirl fall to the ground. _The Beck I knew is dead, _Victoria declared, facing down the monster she could never forgive. Hours died, bones broke, blood was spilled, and the past was shattered. In the end, Batwoman let the police decide the fate of the broken clown. Under the ruling of Arkham, Beck Oliver's shadow would never be free again.

"Katrina will live," the doctors promised. "But she will be confined to a wheelchair for the rest of her life." Holding her beloved sister, knowing how many of her dreams were shattered, Victoria cried with Katrina into the night.

Entering the resting place of her parents, Batwoman held the stilled bodies of her mother and father, her tears falling upon deaf ears. Desiring nothing more than to join those she had long-since failed, Victoria let the darkness swallow her. _I'm so sorry, _she prayed. _I'm so sorry._

Standing before the woman she believed to be dead, Batwoman saw a black-clad creature, her head topped with false cat ears. "Jadeyn," Victoria declared, knowing she had met her equal.

"You're looking for him again, aren't you?" Trina cried out, having taken the name Oracle as she joined Alfred in the former underground railroad that now served as the stronghold of the Bat-Family.

Her guilt undeniable, Victoria looked away from her sister, shutting her computer. "Leave me alone," she whispered, trying to block out the sound of Cat's crying. For a time, the Bat-Family fell apart.

Forging an alliance with Carly Shay, the Kryptonian orphan who took on the mantle of Superwoman, Sam Puckett, a wanted vigilante terrorist called Green Arrow, Sonny Monroe, a former actress who had discovered her Amazonian roots and became Wonder Woman, Freddie Benson, a long-time friend of Carly and Sam who found he was a metahuman and became known as the Flash, Zatanna, and a Martian with the adopted name James Garrett to form the Justice League. Soon after the formation of the League, Victoria reunited with her sister and best friend, extending their relationship and soaring to new heights.

Standing atop a massive building overlooking the alley her parents died in, Batwoman stared into the eyes of their killer, Joe Chill. Gotham City had grown worse since the departure of the Vega family all those years ago. Her mask torn off enough to reveal her face, Tori watched the man desperately back away as the rain poured down. Knowing the depths of his sin, Chill gazed into the eyes of the child whose life he'd broken, and let out one last, pitiful gasp as he felt his hand slip from the roof, sending his unbalanced body plummeting down to the earth. Lunging forward, nearly blinded by the lightning as well as the memory of her parents, Victoria shot a grappling hook outward, only to feel its grip catch onto its mark and suddenly release. Looking down into the alley, Batwoman saw the broken body of Joe Chill lay alongside the chalk outlines of Thomas and Martha Vega, his blood pouring out over their forms. Gasping violently, Victoria stared helpless, grasping at her pounding heart and staring up into the sky as lightning tore across the clouds. Crying out, the young woman found herself in the forgiving embrace of her sister, who had forgiven all her mistakes. "I know why you didn't want me to find him," Tori sobbed into her sister's shoulder. "He was…he was just a poor man. He wanted money…and he was…he was sick and guilty over what he'd done…He never meant for any of this to happen…and I was stupid enough to see him as the lowest thing in the world…and in the end, I couldn't change anything."

"Your destiny is not yet realized," Azrael declared, his red cape flowing in the wind. "You must see through the void."

"…There's nothing on the other side," Batwoman answered, turning her back and walking away. Watching the hero he had looked over her entire life, Azrael felt his failure eat away at his aging heart. "I couldn't save them…and I can't keep living this lie anymore."

Throwing the cowl of the Batwoman onto the cold ground, Victoria put her hood over her head, and walked away. Over the years to come, Catarina hung up the Robin costume to become her true self: a hero called Nightwing. Katrina remained a watchful guardian, using her gifts to discover and shut down the types of people that had used her as a child. Alfred kept his watch over his charges, seeing them grow into the strong young women their parents knew they would be. Tori never gave up her loyalty to her extended family, though the Batwoman never returned and the League was disbanded. Wrapping her arms around Katrina, Cat, and Alfred, Victoria felt herself losing a part of her spirit, though her heart was now open to happiness once more.

There is no end, but there will always be a tomorrow.


End file.
